Director of Bands
Assistant Professor of Music
Coordinator of Instrumental Studies

Dr. Gretchen L. Pohlman is Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Music at West Liberty University, where she conducts the University Wind Symphony, University Band, and the Marching Hilltoppers.  She is the coordinator of Winds and Percussion Studies for the music department and teaches Undergraduate Conducting, and Instrumental Literature and Techniques. 

Dr. Pohlman has previously taught public education throughout the state of Missouri for eight years. As director of bands for seven of those eight years, she oversaw the developmental, creative and musical growth of hundreds of students from grades 5 to 12 through participation in successful concert, jazz, and marching band programs.  She has served as an active All-State Band, and District Music Festival adjudicator for the Missouri Bandmasters Association, and the Missouri State High School Activities Association.  Dr. Pohlman has presented music education clinics at district (2016) and state venues (2016) and has co-authored music education research presented at the Music Research and Teacher Education National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia (2018).

Dr. Pohlman is a past member of the Phantom Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps (2002) and previously served as mellophone technician (2014), and Brass Caption Head (2015) for GOLD Drum & Bugle Corps based out of San Diego, California.  She received the Bachelor of Music Education Degree from Southwest Missouri State University, the Masters of Music in Conducting from Missouri State University, and the Doctorate of Philosophy – Music Education from the University of Missouri.  Her primary teachers in music education and performance have been Dr. Belva Worthen Prather, Robert Scott, Jerry Hoover, Johnny Woody, JD Shaw, Dr. Wendy Sims, and Dr. Brian Silvey.  Dr. Pohlman holds membership in the following organizations: the West Virginia Music Educators Association, the West Virginia Bandmasters Association, the National Association for Music Educators, Mu Phi Epsilon, Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma, and Pi Kappa Lambda.

Dr. Pohlman’s research interests include mentorship, mentorship program design and implementation, and gender-based mentored experiences