Northwest announces new District Director of Fine Arts
by Sarah Smith
Sept. 9, 2024 – Northwest Mississippi Community College announced their newest District Director of Fine Arts Instruction, Dr. John Hagan at the beginning of the 2024 Fall Semester.
Originally from Steubenville, Ohio, Dr. Hagan served in the U.S. Navy Band for eight years before making the pivot to education. With over 10 years in music instruction under his belt, he has served in various roles around the Mid-South as a band director or assistant band director. He served as a director of Bands at East High School in Memphis, and from there he moved to Northpoint Christian School as assistant band director for a year. He bounced back to Tennessee to take on director of Bands at Germantown High School for three years, and finishing out his time as a high school band director he was assistant band director at Germantown Municipal School District for four and half years.
“Music is a huge part of my life, and teaching music at the college level has been a dream of mine ever since I found out it was something a person could do,” said Dr. Hagan. “In addition to teaching, I try to stay active as a freelance musician in the Memphis area and play with the Memphis Jazz Orchestra at Alfred’s on Beale almost every Sunday night.”
Since January of 2023, Dr. Hagan has been a part of the Northwest Band as assistant director of Bands/Applied Low Brass instructor. He has since been a vital part of their success and has helped accommodate the largest band the school has ever seen.
When the opportunity to apply for this position came, he said he felt ambivalent about it, worried because working as the band director at Northwest was the best job he’d ever had. He was anxious that if he took the position he wouldn’t have as much interaction with students, as well as following in the footsteps of former District Director Jeff Triplett, who Dr. Hagan noted did an amazing job.
“I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to live up to the standard he had set,” Dr. Hagan said. “But as the application and interview process went on, I became more and more excited about the possibility to serve the amazing fine arts faculty here at Northwest and provide opportunities to the students in our community who want to pursue a career in the arts.”
Dr. Hagan received his bachelor’s degree from Youngstown State University, and a master’s degree and Doctor of Music Arts in music performance from the University of Memphis.
Outside of work, Dr. Hagan is a family man. He and his wife, Sara have two children, Emaline and Benjamin. He describes them as the best parts of his life and that being a husband and father is what he cherishes most. Dr. Hagan enjoys multiple hobbies outside the classroom including baking, and he and his wife enjoy running together and are currently running the Memphis Runners Club Road Race Series.
“It’s been so much fun, and I love that I get to share that part of her life now,” he said.
