Pam Klena
Classification: Senior
Major: Music education
Hometown: Maryville, TN

Pam Klena, a senior majoring in music education, likes to focus on relationships. “How could I sum myself up? I’m all about missions, and I’m all about kids, and I’m all about music. That’s me,” said Klena.

For Pam, music resounds in almost every activity that she is involved in on campus, in and out of the classroom. As a peer leader, she co-instructs the freshman gateway class for music majors. She also helps to make positive suggestions and corrections within the School of Music on the dean’s advisory council. During her spare time, Klena tutors and gives private lessons on the piano. She is also a member of Sigma Alpha Iota (the women’s national music fraternity, a euphonium player for Wind Ensemble, and a two-year vice president of the Symphonic Band.

“I love kids, I and believe that music is for everyone,” said Klena. “Music is such a powerful venue of communication for every age, but especially students. Music is an international, emotional, powerful way to ‘say what you're trying to say’ without words getting in the way. I want to inspire someone.”

 Klena has traveled extensively during her time at Lee University. She was chosen to travel with five other students this past summer to Kenya and, with the Symphonic Band, Pam has been to Brazil and Jordan. “The thing I like most about Lee is the emphasis that they put on studying other cultures,” she says. “I believe that I have become a wiser person because of what my eyes have seen. You can read all you want about cultures in textbooks, but it becomes personal when you can put ‘real faces’ to different cultures. Also, I believe it that God speaks to me, personally, in a very intimate way when I travel.”

 Pam has taken her love of traveling outside of Lee. With the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, she lived for three months in Tajikistan teaching English to college-age students who wanted to come to the United States. “I am very missionary-oriented,” says Klena.  “‘Missions’ is a funny word. I believe my witness through my life is a mission.” Although she is not sure if she will spend time on the mission field after graduating, Pam believes that she is still called to spread the good news of Christ. “It doesn’t matter whether I am a band director in a public school or a camp director in the mountains. My life is a mission to glorify God and spread love.” 

Pam calls her unique experience in Tajikistan a decision that she made purely on faith. A mission coordinator from her church told her that she thought she was the perfect candidate for the trip and encouraged her to pray about going. “I’m not a spontaneous person, so this made my heart do flips,” she said. However, Klena quickly felt a peace about the decision after praying. A few days later she was on her way to Tajikistan. She lived in Dushanbe with five roommates, three of whom were native to the country. She said that she learned a lot from her language partner, Nodira. “I learned a lot about the Islamic culture. I learned a lot about being a woman in an Islamic culture,” said Klena. “I learned that Nodira and I have the same heart. That is what is beautiful.”

After graduating in May 2009, Pam would like to travel and then pursue teaching. Ultimately, she would like to be a high school band director. She plans on later returning to school and getting a master’s degree in conducting and eventually would like to direct a college band.

Pam leaves a word of encouragement to students: “Learn from the people around you who are older than you—not just from professors, but also from older students. Their experiences will benefit you,” she says. After living a life that has benefited enormously and uniquely from others, she is the one to listen to.

Posted on -02/15/08