Stephanie Shelden is about to achieve a music department first. This May, Shelden will graduate with a double major in cello and vocal performance.

Vocal performance majors study the history, theory, and performance practice of their major. They also take one or two voice lessons a week, multiple years of language study, and perform in operas and recitals.

Shelden has done all of that and more.

“I have a really interesting perspective on signers and instrumentalists. It’s given me more connections. I’ve gotten a lot of job opportunities because of doing both,” Shelden said. “You get to sing and play so much more. The two help each other out. Because you realize that this singing thing applies to this playing thing and vice versa.”

Shelden has been playing the cello for 12 years and started singing in a Wichita Children’s Choir when she was 10 years old. She said she fell in love with the cello after hearing a recording of Yo-Yo Ma and then falling in with opera when she started watching full length operas when she was 13 years old.

Her accomplishments include winning the Barbara Rondelli vocal competition, being the principal cellist for the Central Kansas Concert Opera, a guest principal cellist for a Friends University opera production, and starring in two operas at Wichita State.

Maria Jose Fabara, a colleague and classmate of Shelden, describes her as a great musician.

“It’s been a pleasure working with her. You always need someone who is understanding and proactive, and that’s Stephanie.” Fabara said.

That sentiment was echoed by many others who have worked with Shelden, including WSU alumna Anna Eberly.

“Stephanie is the hardest working person that I know. Not many people can do what she’s doing, especially at the high level she’s doing it,” Eberly said.

“She’s constantly happy, constantly upbeat, cheerful and full of joy all the time. Because of that, she’s brings the moral of the music department up.”

Shelden chose WSU because she admired professors in the music department, calling them world class artists that have been both inspiring and influential.

That feeling is mutual. Pina Mozzani, a professor of music, had only positive things to say about Shelden.

“She puts the time in that you wish that every student put in to developing her skills,” Mozzani said. “She is not just an extraordinary student and musician but she is an extraordinary person. She’s very supportive of other students and her colleagues. Her curiosity will continue to force her to learn and to develop.”

That desire to continue to learn resulted in Shelden’s acceptance into three different graduate programs with scholarship offers.

“I’ve been accepted into the University of North Texas graduate program in music and I have an emphasis in cello performance. My plan after that is to go get a master’s in opera performance” Shelden said.

Her long-term goal is to be become an expert in interdisciplinary collaboration and work with both vocalist and instrumentalists. For this summer, Shelden plans to work at a music camp and teach private lessons.

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Correction: An earlier version of this story, which also appeared in print, included an incorrect name of a source in the story.