Elizabeth Mitchell Receives Prestigious SSHRC Grant

April 10, 2024

In the Faculty of Music at Wilfrid Laurier University, Assistant Professor Elizabeth Mitchell is celebrating a significant win. Securing generous funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Partnership Engage Grant, exceeding $20,000, marked a milestone in her career. This project will be in partnership with Lutherwood Mental Health Services, and aims to explore the effects of music therapy on youths' musical identities.

"As music therapists, we have the privilege of witnessing the transformative power of music firsthand," says Elizabeth Mitchell. "This project is unique in that it will investigate musical impacts of music therapy for youth with mental health issues.”

As the coordinator of Laurier's Bachelor of Music Therapy program, Elizabeth's dedication to understanding the impact of music inspires her students and her own research. Her real-world research findings contribute to academic discourse in her classroom, sparking conversations and inspiring future music therapists.

Elizabeth's commitment to her work not only enriches the academic landscape but also impacted countless lives prior to her work at Laurier. Elizabeth actually began her career as a Music Therapist with Lutherwood Children's Mental Health Services shortly after earning her Master of Music Therapy from Laurier.