Photo Courtesy of Grambling State University/Twitter
Grambling State University announced its first woman Director of Bands, Dr. Nikole Roebuck, in April 2019. She’s now the second female band director in the history of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
Knoe News reported GSU’s announcement with the school’s president, Rick Gallot, stating, “We are excited to have one of our home-grown innovators lead during this historic time. Dr. Roebuck is one of our most dedicated
and humble leaders and a proven gift to our students, community, and all who supported the world-famed sound of Grambling.”Roebuck is one of the four women to lead an HBCU marching band. The other women include Tomisha Brock of Clark Atlanta University and Dr. Kerry Anne Simon of Mississippi Valley State University. Brock and Roebuck made SWAC history as the first two woman-led marching bands performed in November 2019.
Roebuck made a post on Instagram about her first season as band director.
“As I sit here and reflect over my first season as Director of Bands for the Grambling State University World Famed Tiger Marching Band all I can say is God gets the Glory!!!! I will continue to pray daily for my students, my team, and program,” the post read. “Big shout out to my students who have worked HARD everyday of this season and left it all on the field and in the stands week after week. To my team I have one word POWERFUL!!! Now time for rest, relaxation, and recuperation. Next stop Honda Battle of the Bands!!!”
As the school’s current band member, Roebuck told Texas Metro News that she ensures all of the band members are in good care and stay on top of their academics by assigning each member a tutor and has a nurse practitioner, trainer and sports psychologist traveling with them.
Before becoming the band director, Roebuck attended GSU, where she became a Delta Sigma Theta and marched in the Tiger band. After graduating, she taught at the university and served as the assistant band director. She started a podcast called the It’s SHOWTIME Podcast
to highlight past, present and future Tiger members.