By the time Griffiths joined the MC faculty in 1967, the college's musical reputation was widely-known. He was studying that year in England on a Fulbright Scholarship when he heard of an opening on the Monmouth music faculty. So I went under his orders, and found out he was right. The People Some of Monmouth College's most legendary figures and notable personalities have come from the college's music department. Names like Loya, Shaver, Peterson and Austin are instantly recognizable to generations of MC alumni, not only as symbols of the strength of the music programs they oversaw, but also of the college as a whole.
Alumni say that what sets MC's music programs apart is their inclusiveness and the faculty.
You didn't need a lot of talent to participate in a college vocal group, or even be a music major. All you needed, they said, was a willingness to learn because the faculty members would take the time to help you. He had this deep, imposing voice that scared kids to death at first, but pretty soon, they learned that he loved working with them. Those kinds of close relationships even defined peoples' careers. Eventually, he opened his own music stores in Grand Island and McCook, Neb., which thrive today.