You may not know her name, but she is one of the newest majorettes with The Robert Morris University Marching Band. Her name is Julie Jenkins, she is a freshman, and she has talent to back her up while entertaining fans at RMU and beyond.

 “[The RMU Marching Band] performs at every home game–for pre-game and half-time–as well as a at multitude of parades, sporting events, and pep rallies,” Jenkins said.

 Jenkins uses her talent and over 13 years of practice to help her be at her best whenever she steps out in front of a crowd. Baton twirling became her form of self-expression from the very beginning, and she knew that she wasn’t ready to give it up after coming to RMU.

 “From the time I picked up my first baton, I knew that I loved it,” Jenkins said. “I had twirled with a group for nine years prior to high school, and after being in marching band for a wonderful four years, I knew that I couldn’t imagine not being in band.”

 While it may appear to the audience that the routines are effortless, plenty of practice is required to make them look that way. According to Jenkins, the band practices two times a week, and the majorettes usually meet on another day to enhance their part of the band’s shows.

 Hard work is nothing new for Jenkins when it comes to preparation. Even before she came to RMU, the efforts of her and her fellow band members were rewarded with invitations to perform at many venues across the country.

 “Over the past few years I have gone to Walt Disney World, Dollywood, New York City, and Busch Gardens,” Jenkins said. She has also been in countless parades and festivals in Pittsburgh and her hometown.

 Whether traveling far away or staying close to home, Jenkins relishes the chance to be a part of the show—especially when it means that she gets to do it with the band members she cares so much about.

 “I love the feeling of performing,” she said. “Interacting with the crowd and providing them with entertainment is definitely a rewarding feeling. On top of that, I get to spend time doing what I love with my friends.”