Cool Cat: Lyss Endrich
Q&A and Photo by Hope Cox
Lyss Enrich is an academic advisor for the College of Sciences at Central Washington University. Endrich is also a part-time student, working to complete their BA music major as a post-bac. Each day, they work diligently to balance advising students, completing their degree and maintaining a life outside their duties at CWU.
Q: What brought you to Central?
I was in a PhD program, and I was having health issues, and I couldn't continue with that program. So I needed to find a job. And so I applied to three places. I applied to Central, I applied to the University of Central Florida, and then I applied to a job, I think. Kansas State University or Plattsburgh. It was one of the two. And Central called me first, and I was like, I desperately need money. So yes. So I came up here as an academic advisor. In my second year here, I joined Vox [Divina], and I found I missed singing so much, and I enjoyed it. I ultimately ended up auditioning and coming in as a BA music major.
Q: How is Washington different from New York?
There's less traffic. I mean, even in Seattle, the traffic isn't as bad. I'm sure most Washingtonians would say, " Are you crazy?” But it's a lot drier. That took a lot of getting used to. The water tastes different. I can actually smell the rain here, whereas in New York, I could never smell it growing up. And Ellensburg specifically, there's just like, there's weather, but it's so same all the time. So I look forward to when we actually get rain.
Q: What is it like being an advisor but also a student?
It's A lot. This year I did the opera. So I would come to work at 7. My normal hours would be 8 to 5 with a lunch. But because I'm taking classes and at that point I'm doing 2 choirs, voice lessons, and opera, I had to make up for my hours. So my supervisor allowed me to work from 7 to 5, and then I would just leave for classes as I needed to. Then, because it was dress rehearsals at the beginning of the quarter, I would be back here by 6. So I'd go home, shove food in my mouth, walk my dogs, and be here from 6 to 10 doing the dress rehearsal. So it's a lot. Doing homework on the weekends. I like to be busy.
Q: Does a lot go into factoring your classes around your schedule as an advisor?
Sometimes. So, because students can meet with me throughout the day, it's not so bad. And I'm only a part-time student, so that helps. For example, today I had my two choirs back-to-back. So I started at 7, I worked up until 11, and then I came here for choir. And then normally right after lab choir, I'd go back to my office, but I'm going to work an extra half hour today. So, then I'll stay here till 5, so students still have access to me, and I'm pretty quick at responding to emails. So, most of my students during peak registration, it might take me two days to get back to them. But yeah, it's not impacting my ability to work fast enough for them, which otherwise I wouldn't be allowed to do it.
Q: What do you like about the music program here?
So I was a music major before I switched to geology as an undergrad. The music program quality here is on par with where I was, and I was at Boyer College of Music in Philadelphia, so a fairly well-known music program. And even for students who are not music majors, the expectations of them are to the point where a music major at another school would be. But it's not like you need to do this or you can't join. It's a we're going to help you get there. And that collaborative mentality is really appealing. And how welcoming everyone in the department is really amazing. It's a unique department for sure. I really enjoyed the music department.
Q: What kind of advice do you usually give to your students?
So failure is just the first attempt in learning. That's a big one I like to use. I often tell students about my first semester of college, because I was at a semester school, and I had a 1.8 GPA. I graduated with a 3.7. I got into graduate programs. So bombing one class is not the end of the world.
I asked them to kind of explore things that are outside of science because I work with science majors. And I explained that if you think about the pandemic, yes, you had scientists working on vaccines, but you had to have people who were communicating what was going on to folks. You had to have people who would understand why a certain community maybe didn't want a vaccine and how can we help them. So it's interdisciplinary, no matter what you do.
There's no I only do pure science, or I only do pure this. If you go into music, you need business. You have to have the business acumen to be successful. So, having students think about that, I often have students reevaluate whether they are doing this for themselves. Are they doing it for someone else? What do they really want to do with their lives? Because ultimately, you're in college to get the job you want.
Q: What are your favorite music genres?
I listen to like new metal a lot, which I don't think people know about me. I like crunk music because I am a millennial. I have a playlist of 90s pop, but I also listen to a lot of choral music. I think choral music is my biggest playlist. I have my solo repertoire on there. And then, alternative rock.
Q: What are your favorite genres to perform?
Okay, I like Baroque music. So the Handel that we're doing in Chorale has been fun. But I love romantic, like Schubert, if I'm doing a solo repertoire, it's my absolute favorite. I like Lieder. German music is just fantastic. I was never into opera until I did the opera, and I've really grown to appreciate it now. Yeah, I don't love singing in English. So that's the only thing I'm like, I can't do without that.
Q: What did you enjoy about opera?
So the reason why I like music is I like the collaboration, and that's why I'm drawn more to choir than solo singing. And in opera, you get that, but also you get to bring in a little bit of the musical theater side. So I grew up doing musical theater. So doing a performance where you're singing and you always sing with a character in mind, but in opera, you get to really bring it out. So I was a servant who was working under the mean stepmother, and I got to roll my eyes on stage, and that was a lot of fun.
Q: How long are you planning to stay at Central?
So this is a tricky question. I was originally planning to stay for another three years. I just accepted a job last week at a different university, so I'm leaving in June. I decided this because advisors on campus are not listened to. Advising is viewed by people who are higher up. So, not my immediate supervisor or even their supervisor, but the president's office and provost view advising as an entry-level job, which in some ways it is, but it takes a certain level of skill to be a successful advisor. And it's challenging not to have that recognized.
We don't get paid all that great for this area. So I'm moving to a cheaper area to live with a higher pay and more access to professional development so that I can be a better advisor, versus here I have a high caseload. I'm essentially just like trying to help the next person and get people registered, whereas I really want to help students grow. When I did my interview at the other school, I said I wanted to, I want students to come to me at first, and be like, “I don't know what to do. Help me. And then be like, I think I know what I'm doing. Is this right? I know what I'm doing. So I'm good. And thank you.” And at that point, they're ready to graduate. So yeah, that's why I'm leaving.