To Whom It May Concern:
My name is Noni Akintunde, and I am a member of the class of 2024E at Amherst College. Currently, I am
pursuing the French major, but I am writing to you today to appeal to change my major to Music.
I have been attending Amherst since 2018 and throughout this time I have faced a number of challenges
in meeting my own goals for success as a student, struggling to find courses I found interesting and
fulfilling. It eventually got to a point where my mental health was overwhelmingly affecting my day-today life and I decided to take a year-long leave from Amherst. During this time, things in my life improved
significantly to allow me to position myself to become a successful student here at the College. However,
after having some time away and being able to reflect on my time at Amherst from a more “removed”
standpoint, I have come to realize that I will never be successful if I am not doing what I want to do.
By the end of my sophomore year, I had a singular credit in almost all the departments I took classes in,
other than French. Given my transcript and having to declare a major, I chose French and thought I could
find it enjoyable and worthwhile. Instead, I had come to wallow in an immense amount of self-pity, not
understanding why I didn’t feel the need to dive into my studies in the same way as everyone else. I simply
didn’t care about French, and I didn’t care that I didn’t care. Then, I got into MUSI-111, a course I had
been trying to take since my first year. At first, I struggled, but I struggled with every class this semester;
adjusting to the pace of Amherst after being away for so long is tough. But, even when I was struggling, I
still found the class interesting and engaging. Most importantly, I was finally having fun in a class, a feeling
I hadn’t had in a very long time.
I have always had a strong passion for music. I listen to so many different kinds and would love to make
my own. I never thought an introductory Music class would make me feel like I need to change my major.
After talking to people close to me, though, it seems to me that I am beginning to feel what other Amherst
College students feel about school: passion. I’m feeling what I’m feeling so strongly because it actually
matters to me. Dragging my feet through a subject I am not fully engaged in will only make me lament my
time here more.
I write to you to ask for flexibility in being able to declare the Music major without the requirements being
fulfilled, as I have continued to struggle academically in the French major and I don’t believe it to be a
good fit for me. By the end of the Fall 2021 semester, I will have two music credits, MUSI-111 (Fall ‘21)
and MUSI-358 (Spring ‘20). I understand why that would raise concerns, but because of my approved
accommodations through Accessibility Services, I plan on having an extra semester of studies. Therefore,
after the Fall 2021 semester, I will have four semesters left to complete the major. I have also discussed
the major with Dean Schneider and we were able to map out a general plan for finishing the major with
the time that I have left. I have plans to take MUSI-112 with Professor Oba next semester as the next class
in the sequence before declaring the major. It is unfortunate that I have found this interest in the Music
department a bit late in my academic career, but I am happy that I have, and I look forward to taking more
music courses in the future, at the very least.
Thank you so much for your time and consideration, and I earnestly hope we can work together to find a
plan that works for all of us.
Best regards,
Noni Akintunde
Class of 2024E