A sense of belonging hovers over you as you enter the office of Dr. Vicki Bell.
Bell is one that is hard to come by, spending 30 years of her teaching career here at Asbury, teaching many music courses and directing some choirs.
After being a student at the University of Kentucky (UK) followed by teaching in Mercer County schools, Bell had a gut feeling that “God wasn’t done with me yet.” So, she went back to UK and got her doctorate in Music Theory.
After discovering an opening in the music department through some mutual friends in UK, Bell applied “on a whim,” got the job and says that she “has never once looked back.”
She believes that this position opening up at Asbury was nothing short of a God moment. She couldn’t envision herself at a small college or university, until she tried Asbury out, and “it felt like home.”
Looking back, Bell only expected to be at Asbury for a few short years, but after three years she recalls asking, “Oh God, please, let me stay here, let me get tenure, let me do all the things I need to do here so I can stay here.”
Currently, Bell teaches sophomore theory and directs the Asbury Chorale, a junior capstone theory music course. When asked about her favorite class, she said, “The one I’m teaching at the moment.”
Bell said she loves all of her classes, and they are all her favorites, she can’t just choose one. “The students, they are so much fun to work with that they make every class a pleasure for me,” says Bell.
It’s interesting, Bell recalled, of the relationship progression over the years bonding with her students. Up until a couple of years ago, she taught freshman theory and walked alongside her students all four years.
“After my seniors graduate, we have an alumni choir that students can participate in, that I lead,” said Bell. At the most recent concert, she recalled 24 people being in the alumni “ECCO” choir.
Some of her favorite moments in the music department have happened while traveling, as it acts as another passion.
In 2005, Bell enjoyed taking a small choir to the Washington National Cathedral to sing as the Prelude to an evening song service. This experience embarked on Bell’s journey of more traveling with choral groups at Asbury. She has taken six international trips since then.
“I’m going to miss the students so much,” she said. “I’m so connected through social media, and still very much in contact with students I had 20 years ago. So because of electronic communication and social media, I still feel so connected to them.”
Bell hopes she has left a legacy of appreciation for the academic part of music and performance. “I would like to leave a very strong love of choral singing,” she said.
Post-retirement, Bell also hopes to read her collection of books that she has wanted to read for years. She then plans to continue traveling worldwide with her husband, Francois.