First Female Field Commander of Marching 110 is Making History
By: Sarah Donaldson
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ATHENS, Ohio (WOUB) – A woman is serving as the Ohio University Marching 110 field commander — the highest student-held position in the band — for the first time in its history this year.
Sophia Medvid, a senior astrophysics major and mellophone player, has been aiming for field commander since she first took Peden Stadium with the Marching 110 her freshman year.
“I have been working for three years in the hopes that I would get chosen,” Medvid said. “It was just a real honor. I am super excited.”
As field commander, Medvid works on how the band looks visually and teaches freshmen about its unique style. She also provides words of encouragement for members of the band after public performances.
Dr. Richard Suk, the director of the Marching 110, said he believes Medvid’s leadership in her position as field commander helps to motivate other band members.
“Sophia has done fantastic in that position,” Suk said. “She has been very inspirational. She is a good leader. She marches a lot, like she just came off of drumcore this summer right into marching band and she doesn’t — literally — miss a beat.”
Medvid also serves as an extra layer of support for band members, like freshman Heather Aycock, during challenging times.
“When she was there, she was fierce,” Aycock said. “She was professional, but at the end of the day she cared about us and made sure that we were there. And if we ever had any pain or anything that was going on, she sat down with us.”
Medvid also wants to use her position to give back to the band, which she said is an orgnization that has given her so much in her four years.
“I really want to leave a legacy of being the best field commander I can possibly be,” she said. “It doesn’t really matter my gender. I just want to leave it all on the field and help the 110 as much as I can.”
But in making history the way Medvid has, she realized she had to pave her own path when it came to her role as field commander.
“It is hard to be the first anything, so I definitely decided right off the bat that I needed to come out strong so that there wouldn’t be any criticisms for being the first female,” she said. “I guess my overall goal when I found out is just to be strong in everything that I did and not let anyone’s criticism hold me back.”
