Visible School Offers Musical Experience

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - This looks more like a jam session than a college student taking a class quiz, but that's what makes visible school unique. President Ken Steorts says he founded it nine years ago, because nothing like it existed for musicians.

"There was a need for modern worship leaders and new contemporary church services and there was also a need for training for Christian pop rock genre," says Steorts.

The college is a three year bachelor degree program with three majors for musicians, songwriting, and music business, with a focus on Christian worship.

"Seeing the need out there for young musicians to find a college that will be academic vocational and spiritual," says Steorts.

Students say it's giving them skills normal college didn't and molding them spiritually.

"I really wanted to enhance my worship skills, leading a congregation, a church and stuff so that's really my calling," says student, Emmoe Doniz.

For other students it's preparing them for the business end of the industry.

"Just being able to know what you needed to know as being a band leader, being able to effectively talk about contract negotiations, being able to understand what it meant to have music copyedited," says student Corey Sanders.

With 100 students attending, Steorts has a new vision for the college and it includes moving downtown to the historic old C & I Bank on Madison, it's called their "Into the City" campaign.

"To be in the middle of the people that we want to reach will be great," says Doniz.

Which in turn Steorts says will help them be a larger part of Memphis's strong music and church community.

"Probably 60 something churches in Memphis have had our students in their churches and may never have known that person guesting on keyboard was a visible school student from Nebraska or something," says Steorts.