Ben Esparaza has been named the 2023-24 Dr. Robert Chambers Memorial Scholar at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU).
Esparaza is a graduate of Clinton High School and of SWOSU. He is currently a SWOSU graduate student pursuing a degree in Trombone Performance.
“I hope to continue my education and earn a doctorate in music and eventually teach trombone and jazz music on a collegiate level,” said Esparza.
The Chambers Memorial Scholarship is named for the late Dr. Robert Chambers. It is designated for a SWOSU student who studies Trombone.
The late Dr. Chambers was raised in El Reno, Oklahoma. He attended SWOSU earning a Bachelors of Music Education in 1974 and a Masters of Education in Music in 1976. He continued his education at the University of Oklahoma where he received a Doctorate of Musical Arts in 1986. At SWOSU, Chambers led a distinguished career as a Professor of Music for 41 years. He directed the SWOSU Symphony Orchestra for 38 years and played with numerous orchestras across the state including the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and Lyric Theatre before his death in 2017.
The Dr. Robert Chambers Memorial Scholarship fund is stewarded by the SWOSU Foundation, Inc. The Foundation was established in 1977 to promote philanthropy, award scholarships, and distribute funds to support the activities and programs of SWOSU. For more information about the Chambers Memorial Scholarship or any SWOSU Foundation, Inc., funds, please contact 580-774-3267 or visit www.SWOSUFoundation.com.