Mark Hamberger Nomination Letter

April 8, 2019

To the Cadets Hall of Fame Committee:

It is my great pleasure to write this letter of support in posthumously inducting Michelle Owens into the Cadets Hall of Fame.

I met Michelle during the summer of 1995 when I was marching Cadets. She was an instructor at Crossmen along with a good friend of mine, so I found myself spending a lot of time with her after shows. Even though we had just met, she was a great source of support as I was struggling to succeed in my first year at this high-caliber organization.

I was unable to return to the Cadets in 1996 due to my collegiate course load, but I did have the opportunity to march the second half of the summer with Crossmen, where Michelle was still an instructor. Michelle was a patient, cheerful, and thorough teacher. She was essential in getting me quickly integrated into the show, and always willing to go above and beyond.

In 1998 Michelle and I were instructors together at Field of View colorguard. I was already familiar with Michelle as an instructor and having the opportunity to teach along side of her and learn from her example was extraordinary. Michelle was able to write, teach, and clean equipment work with a constant smile on her face. She had an infectious positivity like no one I have known before or since. She was greatly respected by the members, her fellow instructors, and the pageantry community.

I was lucky enough to reconnect with Michelle in 2015 at David Byrne’s Contemporary Color in Toronto. She was once again working with Field of View colorguard. Michelle and I had not seen each other in at least 10 years and she was unchanged! She had the same bright smile, the same infectious positivity, and the same commitment to colorguard and the pageantry arts.

I had the privilege of knowing Michelle Owens as a friend, a teacher, and a co-worker. It amazes me that she was able to transcend all of these roles with the same patience, grace, humor, and alacrity. Although Michelle was taken from us many years too soon, we are lucky that she crossed paths with so many people and that her influence is still being shared widely throughout the pageantry arts.

Michelle’s induction into the Cadets Hall of Fame is well deserved and I think it would be the perfect way to honor her positive impact on the organization.

Respectfully yours,

Mark Hamberger

1995 Cadets, Colorguard