Music heals, music encourages community, music touches people everywhere.
DIME’s students are creative, passionate individuals who seek a high-quality, “learn by doing,” college-level education to prepare them for a career in the music industry. Working in collaboration with Oakland University, DIME offers accredited Bachelor’s degrees in Commercial Music Performance (Guitar, Bass, Drums, Vocals), Commercial Songwriting and Music Industry Studies.
Our students are a blend of talented individuals who are engaged in their education and are passionate about the the music industry and its impact and importance of the creative arts in our culture.
More than 80% of DIME Detroit students come from the Metro Detroit area, and nearly 25% from the city of Detroit.
The single greatest barrier to success is financial hardship. Many students have to work to support themselves and depend on financial aid. Many cannot afford healthy meals, many do not have a reliable means of transportation to and from school. Even though DIME has a 86% attendance rate and its tuition is considered affordable, 22% of students who enroll at DIME, are not able to continue during the first semester of their first year and a further 23% were not able to continue during their second semester. 40% of students who stopped attending DIME gave financial affordability or work schedule as the reason. (Data from the 2017-18 academic year.)
KIARA JACKSON, 2017 Valedictorian, moved to New York after graduation to work in full-time employment in the Urban Promotions department at Republic Records – one of the Top 3 record labels in the US. Read about her graduation, HERE.
JIMMY SHOWERS has been touring the US with Uncle Kracker. He was initially employed as a Guitar Technician, but was quickly promoted to Stage Technician and then Stage Manager, overseeing all aspects of getting the show ready each night. He then advanced to the guitarist, touring live in over 30 states in the US, as well as shows in Canada.
EDGAR DUENAS worked full-time team at the Fillmore, Detroit since graduating DIME in 2017. He recently accepted a position with Zamora Entertainment. Read more about Edgar and Jimmy’s post-DIME experiences HERE.
ANGELO COPPOLA, 2018 Valedictorian, has secured a job with Detroit-based sync company, North Star Media, and also works in the Detroit offices as a recruitment and admissions coordinator for DIME Online. He’s also playing regularly with his rock band ‘The Lows’, and was recently voted the Metro Times Best Musical Artist of 2019. Read more about The Lows and Angelo’s DIME experience HERE.
MAX PREISSNER spent the summer touring as ‘Max Preiss‘, including shows in Colorado. He has graduated with a Music Business master’s degree from Berklee College of Music. Read Max’s Graduate Spotlight HERE.
DALTON THOMAS started at DIME Detroit but transferred to DIME ONLINE mid-way through his studies after being offered a substantial touring opportunity. Dalton has since toured extensively across the US with Detroit-based artist Flint Eastwood, as well as session and touring gigs for LaPeer and Natalie Lucassian. Read more about Dalton HERE.