By Jessica Lien

“I'm very honored to be chosen for this,” Johnson said. “To go from being a freshman with imposter syndrome to standing on that stage…I’m really proud of how far I’ve come.” 

Finding her voice

Sage Johnson didn’t initially plan to pursue a career in music. When she first committed to UI, she thought she would be a journalism major—a continuation of the work she loved in her high school newspaper in Des Moines, where she grew up. But as her senior year progressed, something didn’t feel quite right.

“I’ve been involved in music my whole life, and I realized I didn’t want to not pursue it,” she said. “I knew I needed music to continue to be part of my life.”

A family friend introduced her to the idea of music therapy, and Johnson found herself drawn to the field’s blend of artistry, science, and service. She explored programs across the country, but Iowa stood out for the strength of its program and the welcome she felt from faculty the moment she reached out.

“I felt like someone wanted me to be here,” she said. “That feeling has never left.

Music and the UI community

In her four years on campus, Johnson has been very engaged with the UI music therapy program, School of Music, and broader Iowa City community. She serves as president of the Iowa Music Therapy Student Organization, works as a music therapy assistant at University of Iowa Health Care, volunteers weekly with choirs at Oaknoll Retirement Residence, and leads the soprano section in University Choir. 

She also performed as Rapunzel in the Department of Theatre Arts’s production of Into the Woods, a full-circle moment for someone who grew up immersed in community theater.

“One thing I love about the School of Music is that no matter where you start, they meet you where you are,” she said. “I didn’t even do high school choir, which people are sometimes shocked to hear, but I never felt behind here. I felt supported.”

That sense of community is core to why music therapy felt like the right path.

A moment of connection

“We talk a lot in the music therapy program about how music connects people in a way words sometimes can’t,” Johnson said.

When she thinks about performing the national anthem at commencement, Johnson sees it not as a solo spotlight, but as a chance to unify the room.

“The national anthem represents different things to different people,” she said. “But no matter how you interpret it, everyone understands the significance of beginning such an important moment with music. It brings everyone together—graduates, families, people at all different places in life—for one shared experience.”

That belief is rooted in her music therapy training. She recalled a recent practicum at Pathways Adult Day Program, where the simple goodbye song “Tomorrow” from Annie (the first musical she ever performed) transformed her anxiety about technicalities into the joy of human connection.

“I was so nervous about leading the group for the first time,” she said. “But when we started singing together, everything clicked. It wasn’t about how well I executed the plan—it was about being there together in that moment.”