Roche presents Dr. Lane

Jeanette Fournier, Staff writer

On Monday, the Roche Guest Artist Series welcomes Deforia Lane, Ph.D., who will give a lecture at 8 p.m. in Walker Recital Hall. Lane is an acclaimed music therapist and the director of the Music as Medicine program at University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio, a program that Lane also founded.
Lane originally planned to pursue a career as a singer, and she holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Vocal Performance, as well as a Ph.D. in Music Education.
She is board certified as a Music Therapist, and she is also certified by the American Music Therapy Association for Faculty Administration. In addition to the lecture, Lane will also hold a workshop on campus for the Music Therapy students.
“In the workshop and lecture, she will discuss her role as an innovator of Medical Music Therapy, how to design research and collect data and building specific interventions for hospitalized patients,” said Craig Stevens, MA, MT-BC, NMT, director of Music Therapy.
“She will also discuss her research, which details how Music Therapy sessions have proven to boost the immune system in cancer patients.”
Mercyhurst Music Therapy students are very excited to meet Lane and learn from her.
“I am totally psyched to learn about music therapy from a medical/hospital standpoint. I do clinical in a hospital, but that is from a palliative-care standpoint. They are so similar but different,” said senior Music Therapy major Sarah Whitaker. “It’s always so great to hear different perspectives.”
“I’m looking forward to hearing about any new intervention techniques she might have to share,” said sophomore Music Therapy major Katey Mihailov, “as well as any new music studies she’s worked on.”
Meredith Beals, freshman Music Therapy major, is excited to ask “what her biggest struggles are in being a music therapist and if she has any advice for people currently in the major.”