{"id":51997,"date":"2025-05-16T08:40:49","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T13:40:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.austincc.edu\/newsroom\/?p=51997"},"modified":"2025-05-13T08:43:24","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T13:43:24","slug":"acc-music-graduate-accepted-to-world-renowned-cleveland-institute-of-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.austincc.edu\/newsroom\/2025\/05\/16\/acc-music-graduate-accepted-to-world-renowned-cleveland-institute-of-music\/","title":{"rendered":"ACC Music Graduate Accepted to World-Renowned Cleveland Institute of Music"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:42% auto\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/students.austincc.edu\/infohub\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/35\/2025\/05\/ACC-photo.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-50998 size-full\" \/><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p>Austin Community College District (ACC) celebrates a standout achievement by graduating vocal performance student Kayleigh Hungerford, who has been accepted to the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) \u2014 one of the most prestigious music conservatories in the world.<\/p>\n<p>Kayleigh joined ACC in fall 2022 with a clear vision for her future: use the College as a launching pad for her music career.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI wanted to get more comfortable with singing before applying for a major school,\u201d she says. \u201cI felt that ACC would prepare me so I\u2019d be ready to audition and transfer.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Two years later, her plan paid off. This spring, she graduates with an Associate of Arts in Music and a clear next step in her musical journey.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cOur music department gave me the foundation I needed to audition with confidence. I\u2019m so excited to take the next step at CIM.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Founded in 1920, CIM is recognized internationally for its rigorous conservatory training and world-class faculty. Admission is highly competitive, with a selective process that draws the most talented young musicians from across the globe.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was so surprised! I didn\u2019t expect to get in \u2014 it was such a big goal. If you don\u2019t try, your chances are always zero.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kayleigh\u2019s focus is on opera, and she brings a deep appreciation for vocal performance and musical storytelling. She credits the faculty and fellow students at ACC for creating a nurturing space where she could thrive.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cACC\u2019s music department has been wonderful, and my experience here is one I will always remember. The students and faculty have been nothing but supportive. I would recommend our program to anyone hoping to pursue a degree in music.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As she prepares for her next chapter, Kayleigh reflects on how community college opened unexpected doors.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCollege is very worth it and will give you so many special opportunities you won\u2019t get anywhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kayleigh\u2019s story is part of a growing trend at ACC. In recent years, multiple students from the college\u2019s Music Department have transferred to some of the nation\u2019s most respected music schools, including the Manhattan School of Music and CIM.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI would recommend ACC\u2019s music program to anyone,\u201d Kayleigh says. \u201cIt\u2019s affordable, high-quality, and full of opportunity. If you\u2019re serious about music, this is a great place to start.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Celebrate Kayleigh and the Class of 2025 at <a href=\"https:\/\/admissions.austincc.edu\/acc-commencement-celebration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>austincc.edu\/commencement<\/strong><\/a>. Learn more about the program at<strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/programs.austincc.edu\/arts-digital-media-and-communications\/music\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">austincc.edu\/music<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Austin Community College District (ACC) celebrates a standout achievement by graduating vocal performance student Kayleigh Hungerford, who has been accepted to the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) \u2014 one of the most prestigious music conservatories &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/sites.austincc.edu\/newsroom\/2025\/05\/16\/acc-music-graduate-accepted-to-world-renowned-cleveland-institute-of-music\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3930,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,13,15,17,19],"tags":[2180,83,4145,4146,115],"class_list":["post-51997","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-business-and-community","category-current-students","category-facstaff-news","category-news-and-announcements","category-students-and-alumni","tag-congrats-grads","tag-music","tag-spring-2025-commencement","tag-spring-2025-graduation","tag-transfer"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.austincc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51997","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.austincc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.austincc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.austincc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3930"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.austincc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51997"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sites.austincc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51997\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.austincc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51997"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.austincc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51997"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.austincc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51997"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}