Hi, I’m Scott Dunn. I’m a conductor, pianist, and arranger working in New York City and Los Angeles. Growing up in a small town in Iowa, coming to the University of Iowa opened my eyes to people who had devoted their lives to the humanities and fine arts—and showed me that a life in the arts was possible. 

Why CLAS? 

One of the most valuable parts of my education was that broader exposure: to professors and classmates, to history, and to culture and the arts. It gave me a perspective on the world that extended far beyond what I had encountered growing up and ultimately helped me imagine a different path for my own life. 

That breadth matters even more today. The internet gives us access to an extraordinary amount of information, but access isn’t the same as depth. A liberal arts education can help students understand the history and culture that came before them, make connections across generations, and engage more deeply with a world that can otherwise feel a million miles wide and only half an inch deep.