Andrew Bryan Farnen Fund Awards Shepherd University Student Sam Bower

At Shepherd University’s Spring Choral Concert, the Farnen family awarded Sam Bower with the Andrew Bryan Farnen Fund for Gifted and Talented Youth, a component fund of the Community Foundation of Washington County MD. Andrew’s family created this fund in memory of him and his love for both the arts and sciences. The fund assists students with the purchase of musical instruments, art supplies, computers, books and other educational materials or programs. The family hopes this grant will help foster the imaginations of young people between the ages of 14-21 who have a passion as Andrew did for knowledge, artistic expression, mathematics or computer science/technology.Sam Bower currently attends Shepherd University as a junior in music education and composition. Upon graduating in 2018, he plans to attend the University of Maryland, College Park to pursue a graduate degree in music education. Sam performs with a vocal quintet group at Shepherd and plays both piano and guitar. As an alumni of Frederick Children’s Chorus, he assists them every year with their performance of Handel’s Messiah. Sam plans to use his award to purchase comprehensive music software. “Composing music has always been a passion of mine and comprehensive music software will serve me in arranging pieces throughout my career as a music educator and composer,” Sam said.