Breaking Barriers: Jenna Wesley is the first woman section leader of the Michigan State Drumline

For more than a century and a half, one thing had never happened in the Spartan Marching Band’s Drumline.

Then Jenna Wesley arrived.

Jenna, an anthropology senior from Traverse City, Michigan, became the first female drumline section leader in the 155-year history of the Michigan State Marching Band.

Her path started long before she ever put on the green and white. Wesley began as a snare player and, starting her sophomore year of high school, trained specifically for the MSMB audition with her mentors, Brad Novak and Yates McLaughlin. The three of them focused entirely on Michigan State’s marching packet, working until she had every detail committed to memory.

But her journey wasn’t straightforward.

Wesley wasn’t accepted into the band as a freshman. Instead of stepping back, she doubled down. She carefully reviewed her feedback and met with Dr. Jon Weber, Instructor of Percussion at the MSU College of Music, who honestly told her that switching instruments might give her the best shot. She wanted to be in the Spartan Marching Band badly - so she switched to bass drum and fell in love with it.

The Drumline selects its section leader through a letter of interest, interviews, and ultimately a vote among its members. Wesley said the group is extremely tight-knit, and by the time voting came around, she knew she had their support. Her section told her that her instinct to “mom everyone,” paired with her natural tendency to take on responsibilities, made her the clear choice.

The bassline from 2024 poses with bass tech, Blake Koschmider, while recording for PASIC. (Photo Credit: Grant Bolton)

A special part of Wesley's story is her family connection to the MSU marching band.

Her dad, Craig Wesley, was in the marching band as a trombone player during his time at the university. Getting to share the field with her dad has been "so special", and watching her dad relive some of his most favorite memories is something will always cherish.

Photo Caption: Jenna Wesley and her parents before a Michigan State Football game on Adams Field. (Photo Credit: Stephanie Wesley)

With football season wrapping up, Wesley is looking forward to the many gigs the Spartan Drumline takes on throughout the year. One moment that stands out for her is the bass line’s opportunity to perform at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) in 2024.

“The seven of us last year got invited to perform a bass ensemble at PASIC,” Wesley said, beaming. “It was super, super cool. The experience was awesome. We put together this seven-minute piece - ridiculously hard - written by some amazing people, and we also got to professionally record it. That was really sweet too, knowing I’m now on the internet forever.”

Check out the bass ensemble and watch Wesley in action on the MSU Drumline’s YouTube channel:

Wesley didn’t initially realize just how groundbreaking her selection as section leader truly was. It came up casually in conversation—and only then did she learn she was the first woman ever to hold the position.

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