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The phrase Information Technology (IT) doesn't necessarily evoke images of rock stars, but DFAS Columbus has at least one who might be.
Tammy Mills, an Information Techonology specialist and Systems Information Development systems manager in Corporate Systems, now has a side gig as a vocal performance instructor with The School of Rock.
"Michael Christian, the director of the music program at Turtle Creek, had seen me perform there," Mills explained. "He called and offered me a job, and I told him I already had a full-time job and didn't think more about it. Then another bandmate reached out to me about the same thing, so after I heard that a couple times, I decided to give it a try."
Mills is no stranger to music, as she began her journey at the age of three. "Everyone in my family played some instrument—and they also were all in a branch of the military. Everyone was both musical and had to serve, for two generations prior to mine," she added.
"I've been playing in a band since I was 17, living in Georgia," Mills said. "I started singing in church when I was three and everyone had to sing." Mills has participated in everything from national and city choirs, and even attended choir after school as an adolescent.
Singing isn't Mills' only talent though. "My grandmother taught me how to play piano by ear and I learned to read music at school and on my own."
She took what she learned from her grandmother and singing in the choir to help teach others. "I teach scales, harmonies, how to build a chord, chord progression - that's 10% of it. But the other part of it is how to perform. Musicians need to learn how to interact with band mates, not just stand up and sing," Mills said.
Mills' teaches a wide range of people. "I get to work with kids and adults of all ages," Mills said. "I have students right now as young as eight and as old as 28, but the School has students ranging from three to 82. The 82-year old is a drummer."
With each lesson, she watches the shells of shyness fall off.
"The kids I work with start out with no confidence and real quickly they are adjusting their mic and bee-bopping around the room," Mills said. "Kids can feel bullied or left out sometimes, but music is a communal thing that helps them from being alone. This is a way for me to give back—to help out other people. 'Leave it all out there,' is what I tell them."
She does this by leading by example.
"I'm totally a motivational person," Mills said. "It's not false bravado. We can achieve anything we want to. We just need the confidence to try to learn, and to open our mouths."
Her exuberence is not missed by those who she works with in the office every day.
"Tammy is the kind of employee who is always willing to help out," said Kim Papenfuse, IT Corporate Systems Internal Systems division chief and Mills' supervisor.
"She is truly a team player who is customer focused, always. She has a lot on her plate but that doesn't stop her. When I found out that she was doing this in her spare time, it just impressed me," she said.
Papenfuse wanted other DFAS employees and colleagues to know that "everyone has time, everyone can give back to our communities. We all have skills, some people tutor math, others may work fundraisers. Tammy has found a way to use her skills in combination with her musical abilities to help the youth in the community, and I think that's brilliant."
Papenfuse recognized that Mills has merged together her professional skills along with her passion.
"Tammy is using her planning and organizational skills, and combines them with her singing talents," Papenfuse said. "But she is also combining her love of singing with a child's love of singing."
Papenfuse explains that Mills uses her customer-focused speaking talents to give them the courage and confidence they need to put themselves out there to perform.
"She shows them how to ask for and accept constructive feedback so that they can be their best self. She demonstrates that it's okay to make mistakes if we learn from them. She shows them that there are always new levels to strive for," she added.
"Coaching," Papenfuse said, "is something we should all be doing, leading by example and instruction."
The School of Rock's and Mills' first gig is the Fall Semester Show at the Alrosa Villa on Dec. 1.
| Date Taken: | 10.03.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 12.31.2019 11:31 |
| Story ID: | 357790 |
| Location: | COLUMBUS, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 44 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, IT pro has a rockin’ beat, by Michelle Young, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
