Jahnke, an alumnus of the Pride and former drum major, said he liked his job at Jenks, but is looking forward to teaching at his alma mater.

“(The assistant director’s office) was the office I auditioned in my freshman year, so I’m pretty excited,” Jahnke said. “I was really happy where I was, but I had always been interested in teaching at the collegiate level.”

The Pride also has a new drum major. Eric Shannon, a music education senior and five-year member of the Pride, said he will take his experiences as a mellophone section leader to lead the entire band this fall.

“It’s really enjoyable,” Shannon said. “I get to interact with all the sections, not just the mellophones. It’s nice to have that mobility.”

Shannon said the stadium crowds can expect more variety from the Pride, both on the field and in the stands during games.

“We have new stand tunes for more crowd interaction,” Shannon said. “Hopefully, it’ll appeal to a wider audience.”

Britt credits the hard work and dedication of the students for the success of the Pride, but said the band couldn’t work without the help of others.

“We really are fortunate to have a high level of support from the administration and fans,” Britt said. “That’s what makes it possible for us to do what we do.”

Althea Peterson

366-3539

apeterson@normantranscript.com