Coming to the University of Illinois for a marching band festival during her freshman year of high school, Beth Vaughn immediately fell in love with the Marching Illini and knew that someday she would be a part of the “nation’s premiere marching band.”

Now a senior planning to graduate with a degree in broadcast journalism this spring, Vaughn, a former Illini Media Co. employee, prepares for her final performance on Saturday with the same band that she watched as a visiting high school student.

“Part of the reason why I came here was because of the Marching Illini,” Vaughn said.

While the halftime show of this weekend’s game against Purdue will bring four years of hard work and dedication to an end, Vaughn says the band has given her the experience of a lifetime.

“The Marching Illini is an amazing organization that helps carry on traditions for this university that are immeasurable,” Vaughn said.

Vaughn, a Drum Major – not to be confused with a major in drumming – has helped run the band by organizing formations and providing leadership during the games and practices.

“A Drum Major is kind of like a student leader of the band,” Vaughn said. “We teach marching fundamentals and provide leadership.”

Vaughn, a native of O’Fallon, Ill., first got involved with music during the 5th grade when she joined the band and played flute. Through the years she kept playing in her school bands and became a Drum Major at her high school. During her freshman year of college, Vaughn joined the Marching Illini and became a member of the drumline where she played the cymbals.

“I got to rock out in front of the whole crowd so that was pretty cool,”Vaughn said.

While Vaughn’s first year in the band introduced her to some of her best friends, her next three years as a Drum Major would give her some unforgettable memories. One of Vaughn’s favorite moments came during the first game of the 2004 season when the Illini hosted Florida A&M; and both marching bands did a joint halftime show.

“They were more of a southern band and we were so traditional. Our styles were totally different,” Vaughn said. “We were dancing and they were dancing and the crowd was getting into it. The whole thing was a lot of fun.”

Dad’s Weekend, where the fathers of all the Drum Majors perform a special routine on the field at halftime, has also been a source of memories.

“I would argue that Dad’s Weekend is bigger than Christmas for my dad,” Vaughn said. “We make up a special routine for all the dads and he practices so much because he doesn’t want to screw it up.”

While this weekend will mark the end of Vaughn’s Marching Illini journey, she said she knows that this has been a unique experience that she will carry with her forever.

“This is something I’m really proud of,” Vaughn said.