Leaders in Action: Music as medicine
Music Therapy student Aubrey Mizerak combines her passion for music and health care to help others heal and build community
For Aubrey Mizerak, music is more than a creative outlet. It’s a way to help people heal, achieve personal goals and build meaningful connections. As a Music Therapy major at the University of North Dakota, she’s turning a lifelong passion into a career dedicated to helping others.
Mizerak, of Ames, Iowa, arrived at UND intending to pursue a career in health care. After exploring chemistry and forensic science, she discovered music therapy — a field that combines her interests in science, music and helping others. Through coursework and hands-on experiences working with older adults and physical therapy students, she’s seen firsthand how music can support physical, cognitive, emotional and social well-being.
Beyond the classroom, Mizerak serves as president of UND’s Music Therapy Club, which she helped reestablish to create a supportive community for students in the program. She’s also participated in UND’s Sensory Family Concert and the Bridges Community Choir, initiatives that make music more accessible and bring people of different ages and abilities together.
Those experiences have reinforced her belief in the power of music to make a difference.
“I’ve impacted people’s lives, and that has been really incredible,” Mizerak said. “They know my name, and they look forward to our sessions together.”
After completing an internship and earning board certification, Mizerak hopes to work in a hospital setting, using music to help patients heal and achieve meaningful outcomes. It’s a career path that brings together her passion for music, her interest in health care and her commitment to serving others.
