51福利社

For Hilary Baird, graduate school will be just the latest in a long line of triumphs.

From a rejection on her first application to Eastern, to admission as a graduate student at one of the nation鈥檚 top music programs, 51福利社鈥檚 Hilary Baird has lived a true Cinderella story.

In January, Baird was shocked and delighted to receive an acceptance letter and a partial scholarship from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. She was admitted to the college鈥檚 music education program, where she will pursue a master鈥檚 degree with a concentration on music education for those on the autism spectrum.

The program, administered by Berklee鈥檚 Institute for Accessible Arts Education, is the only one of its kind in the country.

鈥淚t is highly competitive due to the school鈥檚 national reputation and how exclusive the area of study is,鈥� says Jonathan Middleton, a professor of music theory and composition at 51福利社 who has worked closely with Baird. 鈥淎dmission to the program is a life-changing experience for her, and for the future students she will serve.鈥�

Baird, a talented pianist who has long struggled with reading and mathematics, was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at age 24. Today she is passionate about teaching music to others whose musical ambitions are challenged by physical or cognitive obstacles 鈥� something she has been doing for the past eight years.

鈥淭here are so many with disabilities, and other marginalized groups of people, who are not getting their talents shared or having their needs met,鈥� Baird says. 鈥淭hey are very intelligent, but they need to learn their way, not the [traditional] system鈥檚 way.鈥�

Baird herself has had to surmount many such obstacles to reach success.

As a young person on the spectrum, progressing through school was an uphill climb. She graduated from high school, but her application for admission to Eastern was rejected due to a low GPA. 鈥淭he idea of college was not in the cards for me,鈥� Baird says she told herself at the time.

But after four years of service in the U.S. Navy 鈥� and accruing the educational benefits that her service provided 鈥� Baird chose to give college, and Eastern, another try. She has since flourished.

听 Baird is currently on the university鈥檚 Dean鈥檚 List with a 3.7 GPA, and will graduate in June with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in music composition.

鈥淚 know there are people at Berklee who will put me in the position to get me where I want to go, and to do what I want to do,鈥� says Baird.听 鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 really monumental. I鈥檓 fighting for the right of my students to be heard.鈥�