VMA Leadership Begins With Starting a Club
Club leadership empowers students to strengthen their local music communities through service, collaboration, and initiative. State and national roles extend that impact, connecting student voices across regions and guiding programs that reach a broader audience.
Together, these roles form a leadership pathway—one that grows from local action to wider responsibility, reinforcing shared values, democratic participation, and service at every level.
Election Windows: How and When Students Step Into Leadership
To support fair, accessible, and student-centered leadership, the VMA Junior Program follows clearly defined election windows at both the club level and the state and national levels. These windows ensure that every student has time to reflect, prepare, and participate meaningfully in the democratic process.
Club-Level Election Windows
Club elections are designed to be local, flexible, and responsive to the needs of all Junior Program members. During designated election windows, students:
Share why the VMA mission matters to them in the nomination form
Work toward the fundraising goal associated with their desired role by starting a VMA Sweet Sounds of Service fundraiser
Participate in VMA-conducted elections using official online forms
These windows are intentionally spaced throughout the year to allow new members to get involved and returning members to step into leadership as they grow. Clubs are encouraged to plan ahead and communicate their election timelines clearly so all interested students have an equal opportunity to participate.
Each year, state and national leadership elections take place in Q4, giving students time to reflect, prepare, and step into broader leadership roles with clarity and purpose.
State and National Election Windows
In addition to club leadership, students may also pursue leadership at the state or national level, where Officers and representatives help shape broader initiatives, outreach, and student voice across the organization.
State and national election windows are coordinated centrally to ensure consistency, transparency, and equity. During these windows, eligible students may:
Nominate themselves for state or national leadership roles
Participate in a unified election process conducted by VMA
Engage in leadership that connects local clubs to a wider community of student leaders
These election periods are announced in advance and supported with clear guidance, so students and families understand expectations, timelines, and next steps.
Why Election Windows Matter
Election windows create structure without barriers. They allow students time to reflect on their readiness to lead, discuss their goals with families and mentors, and approach leadership with intention rather than urgency.
Most importantly, they reinforce a core value of the Junior Program: leadership is not about being chosen at random. It is about choosing to serve, preparing responsibly, and participating in a shared process built on trust and accountability.
Whether at the club, state, or national level, every election window is an open door. When students step through it, they help shape a more connected, compassionate, and student-led VMA community.
