Oakland University student returns after 15 years to complete piano degree

Fifteen years after stepping away from his studies, Schuyler Campbell returned to Oakland University to complete his piano performance degree at the School of Music, Theatre and Dance, culminating in a long-awaited senior recital that fulfilled a goal first set more than a decade ago.

Campbell originally postponed his senior recital in 2010, setting aside his musical studies to pursue a career in carpentry and woodworking. Although music remained meaningful to him, the idea of returning to complete his degree felt increasingly distant as the years passed.

"Finishing my degree was always somewhere in the back of my mind," Campbell said. "But the more years went by that I wasn't studying the piano, the further away the possibility of graduating felt."

His journey back to Oakland University began to take shape in 2022, when he accepted a woodworking position at the Steinway & Sons factory in Astoria, New York. While working closely with handcrafted pianos, he reconnected with the artistry that first drew him to music. Still, it was a life-changing accident in 2024 that ultimately motivated him to return and finish what he started.

While living in Northern California, Campbell survived a crash in which his work van rolled down a 30-foot hill, leaving him with a broken neck. Although he avoided spinal cord damage, the recovery process required several months of strict physical limitations. During that time, he turned to piano playing as part of his daily routine.

"I had just acquired a piano a few months before the accident, and so playing the piano became a cornerstone of my recovery routine," he said.

At the same time, his experiences receiving medical care inspired him to pursue a new long-term goal - studying medicine and working toward becoming a physician. That motivation gave him the confidence to reconnect with Oakland University about completing his degree.

When Campbell contacted Oakland University in 2024, he learned that his previously earned credits remained valid, allowing him to pick up where he left off in 2010. The only remaining requirement for his degree was his capstone project: a senior piano recital.

With guidance from piano professor Tian Tian, Campbell began rebuilding his performance skills after more than a decade away from formal study. He initially worked remotely from California, taking lessons and preparing repertoire while making periodic trips to Michigan to reconnect with campus life and participate in academic activities.

In the two months leading up to his senior recital on March 7, 2026, Campbell relocated to Michigan and immersed himself in daily practice, lessons and masterclasses. Spending extended time on campus allowed him to collaborate with fellow students and work closely with faculty in the School of Music, Theatre and Dance.

"This time spent engaging in person with my peers, as well as working with the outstanding faculty and staff in OU's Department of Music, was integral to the ultimate success of my senior recital performance," he said. "The process of returning to study music has been a multifaceted blessing in my life, and I am so grateful to OU for making that possible."

Campbell's connection to music began long before his time at Oakland University. Growing up in a household filled with music, he recalls being captivated as a child by hearing the song "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen played at full volume in his parents' car - an experience he describes as transformative. At age 15, watching a friend play piano sparked his desire to learn the instrument himself. With help from his older brother, he learned the basics of reading sheet music and quickly advanced, memorizing pieces and expanding his repertoire.

Completing his degree after 15 years represents a significant personal and academic milestone for Campbell. It also reflects the supportive environment he found upon returning to Oakland University, where faculty and staff helped guide him through the final stages of his program.

"My plans definitely do not include giving up the piano for another 15 years," he said.

Following graduation, Campbell plans to continue performing and learning new repertoire while pursuing a new academic path. He will begin pre-medical science coursework in summer 2026 at a community college near his home in West Sonoma County, Calif. In addition to continuing his work as a carpenter, he volunteers in a hospital emergency department and at a local food bank while seeking opportunities to gain hands-on clinical experience.

For Campbell, returning to Oakland University was both a homecoming and a turning point - an opportunity to complete unfinished work, reconnect with his passion for music and move forward with renewed purpose.