Wheaton College Alumni Magazine Spring 2013 | Page 23
side and got a taste for all it could be,” she says. After hearing stories
from other Wheaton alumni, Elise came to realize that none of
them gave up on their passions. “They worked every job,” she says,
“and God has been faithful to them through music. He is faithful
over time.”
Ian Eskelin ’92, a producer, songwriter, solo artist, and founding
member of the Grammy-nominated Christian rock band All Star
United, also met with the group at his own studio in Franklin,
Tennessee. He has more than 30 top-ten singles in the United
States, including 12 number-one charting songs, and has won two
Dove Awards.
“We talked about transitioning from college to chasing
after those dreams,” he says. “You have to be just crazy enough
and brave enough to chase them through open doors—or
slammed doors, in some cases.”
David Hamilton adds, “When you step into the creative world,
there are a lot of opportunities, but you have to hit the ball
when you step up to the plate. There are a lot of people waiting
in line behind you.”
David and Sandy Hamilton are both alumni of the Wheaton
College Conservatory of Music. After David finished graduate
school, they followed his dream of working in the music business
and moved to Nashville. Since that time, he has worked on
projects for artists across a wide range of genres and has recorded
in studios around the world. He talked with the students about
preparing for his upcoming recording for Disney at Abbey Road
Studios in London.
Last year David was invited to join the Leadership Council—
a group of Wheaton alumni, parents, and friends formed two
years ago by the alumni relations staff for the purpose of coming
alongside administrators and faculty in helping students con 6