Visible Year 4: Turned Up To 100

"Visible School" 2003-2004 was a breakout year in so many ways, but one was the elevation of the size of the student body to three digits, topping 100 with the addition of 40+ new students and the retention of first year students into second year students and second year students into third year students. We discovered that the ideal training level for young creatives was three years. One year barely got students started into their craft and maturity. Two years gave students enough time to gel as a band, move into new skills, develop as leaders, and build around a church or community. Three years in and around Visible Community (the Bonhoeffer idea of sharing a life of faith) and students and staff were as close as family and built great things together, developed new programs, and stretched into advanced skills.

Visible became “visible” in Nashville and particularly at Gospel Music Week.

Visible staff began to attend the GMA Week in Nashville with students (see photo) and offer opportunities for students to become engaged in both the Christian music scene and national church jobs. We added a dynamic couple from South Africa in Fall 2003 in Peet and Marina Strydom, on staff and with ideas for making the school better and more connected. Dave and Shannon Kropf also focused their time after Shannon’s attendance at Visible on perfecting the program. These couples, along with other alumni who became staff and built out the areas of IT, recording studio, worship leadership, and CCM relationships, They made Visible Music College. Our student care was special with Paulanne Townsend, who had led the staff and students through a number of years already in bringing peace and prayer and spirit and scripture to the student body. Visible was growing stronger, looking at accredited pathways, and by now using the Days Inn motel across the street in Lakeland, Tennessee as student housing,

100% of the energy of the school served the 100 students and we were producing a lot of really great music through Visible Media Group.

Photo:

Katherine Porter, Music Business major

Margaret Becker, CCM icon and Visible Trustee

Peet Strydom, Director of Admissions (and much more through the years)

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