January 31, 2003

OPRAH WINFREY SURPRISES BOISE STATE PROF; SHOW TO AIR TUESDAY

Oprah pulled one over on Marcellus Brown, a music professor at Boise State University. When Brown traveled to Chicago earlier this week, he planned to sit in the audience at the "Oprah Winfrey Show" to support his former student, Fernando Pullum, who was appearing as a guest on the show. Brown was stunned when Oprah called him up on stage for a surprise reunion with his former pupil. The program was taped Wednesday and will air Feb. 4.

Pullum, the band director at a school in south-central Los Angeles, has built a successful music program in a school where gang shootings are a common occurrence and the high school graduation rate is about 33 percent. One hundred percent of Pullum’s band students have graduated in the past 10 years and 161 out of 163 of them went on to four-year colleges.

"Over 18 years [Pullum] has managed to build a real program in a place where you would think you can’t make music, where you can’t make a program," said Brown.

On "Oprah," Pullum credited Brown for giving him direction. "He claims he does what he does because of what I did for him," said Brown.

Here’s what Brown did for Pullum. When Brown was teaching at Chicago State University in the late 1970s, he met Pullum, a talented, street-smart musician who was working in a shoe store. Brown encouraged his interest in music and helped him receive financial aid and enroll at Chicago State. Later Brown helped Pullum transfer to his alma mater, the University of Michigan, where Pullum earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

After graduate school, Pullum offered $1,000 to Brown as thanks for his years of support. Brown turned down the money and told Pullum, "If you would help 10 other students as I helped you, then we’ll be even."

Brown was passing on a philosophy instilled in him by his own mentor, Andy White, a band director who encouraged Brown when he was a young man growing up in Detroit. White died two years ago. Going above and beyond to offer hope and brighter futures to student musicians has been a way of life for all three men.

"I believe it to the marrow, to every fiber in my body that that’s what we’re supposed to be doing," said Brown.

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Pat Pyke

Boise State communications and marketing

(208) 426-1987

ppyke@boisestate.edu

Bob Evancho

University Relations

(208) 426-1643

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