Rider’s Westminster Choir College inducts two alumni into Music Education Hall of Fame

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Rider University’s Westminster Choir College recently celebrated the induction of two esteemed alumni into the Music Education Alumni Hall of Fame. Libby Gopal ’09 and David Westawski ’11 were honored for their substantial contributions to the field of music education and their unwavering support of the University during a ceremony held on April 26. 

“Westminster alumni are only about 5,000 in number, but we have made an outsized impact on the world of music and education,” said Dr. Jason Vodicka, ’03, ’09, associate dean of Rider's College of Arts and Sciences and a 2017 Hall of Fame inductee. 

Both Gopal and Westawski are esteemed leaders within New Jersey, each serving as state president of pivotal professional organizations, which support choral music and advocate for the inclusion of music education in schools.

Dr. Sarah Perry, assistant professor of music education, commended the honorees, noting their significant mentorship and support of Westminster Choir College's music education students. "Their exemplary teaching and willingness to share expertise have greatly enriched our students' experiences," she said. 

Libby Gopal ’09, president of the New Jersey American Choral Directors Association, is the visual and performing arts supervisor for the East Windsor Regional School District in Hightstown, New Jersey. She received a bachelor’s in music education from Penn State University, a master’s in school administration from Rowan University and a master’s in music education from Westminster Choir College of Rider University.

In 2019, she was awarded the New Jersey Governor's Educator of the Year Award, and in 2022, she received the National Federation of State High School Association Outstanding Music Educator Award. 
 
During her 20-year tenure as a high school choir director, Gopal's students were invited to perform at state and regional conferences, as well as in prestigious venues such as the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and Carnegie Hall. 

David Westawski ’11 is the current president of the New Jersey Music Educators Association and choral director at West Windsor-Plainsboro South (WWPS) High School in West Windsor, New Jersey. He graduated from Temple University's Boyer College of Music with a bachelor's in music education and received his master’s in music education from Westminster Choir College of Rider University. He is currently pursuing his Doctor of Education in educational leadership with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. 

Westawski is in his 23rd year as a public school music educator, having spent most of that time as a high school choir director. He is also the co-lead for the WWPS Equity Team and director of music at Queen of the Universe RC Church in Levittown, Pennsylvania.