About Us
Providing the Tools to Facilitate Artistic Growth Within Communities
Learning takes place naturally when you pay attention
to what’s important to the student. — Bill Rossi
Our goal is to contribute to social and educational change by offering new perspectives and specific tools for parents, mentors, teachers, and artists. A professional jazz pianist and educator, Bill Rossi spent decades developing his strengths-based creative mentoring approach that empowers teachers to become mentors and guides who are very much in touch with their own creative process, and able to find what’s “right” with the student (her talents and strengths), and build on that.
Good education encourages self-discovery and empowers students to engage with themselves and think for themselves. It fills the students’ emotional needs along with the intellectual. Students need to be able to create an inner dialogue and converse with themselves in order to form a foundation that makes them whole and turns the tide of fragmentation within, i.e., to fully grow or heal. Many students turn away from education and actually turn against it because they are not engaged, stimulated, or motivated and because it doesn’t provide an opportunity for self-development or healing (read Austen Goodman’s post on our home page — “Austen Goodman: A Merge Success!” — for an excellent example of this). Creative education can redress many of the challenges our society is experiencing today.
After developing the approach, Bill field tested and fine tuned it as director of two nonprofits in Seattle, WA, and Albany, NY, and then he and his wife Mary-Helen devoted over three years to create the Merge System for Creative Education.
The Merge System for Creative Education – a series of books, manuals, curricula, and evaluation software – can be used to enhance or develop, assess, and manage a substantial creative mentoring program. Elements of the Merge System can be used separately to develop your ability to work with strengths-based and mentoring methods. Consultation and trainings are also available. If you’d like to learn more, please email us or call us at 484.887.0377.
Bill Rossi, Education & Creative Director
A co-founder of Merge and creator of the Rossi Educational Approach, Bill graduated from Berklee College of Music and has over 40 years’ experience as a professional musician, composer, and educator. BIO
Delbert Boyer, Education Consultant
Delbert has over 30 years’ experience as an educator, composer, and performing musician. The founder and performance guitarist for the 5-piece Jazz group Aniya, Delbert is currently a Merge workshop trainer and teacher.
Dawn Mehan, Education Consultant
Having traveled and studied extensively to develop the authentic voice she brings to her work, Dawn is an accomplished educator, professional dancer, and yoga instructor. Of her experience with the Rossi Teaching Approach, Dawn says: “Since teaching is such a big part of my life, I am happy to say that I no longer feel tired after being with my students . . . I feel inspired!” Dawn is currently a Merge workshop trainer and teacher.
Stanley Williams, Education Consultant
Stan graduated from Cheyney University and earned a M.Ed. from West Chester University and a M.Ed. from Wilmington College. He then served for over 41 years in the public school systems in Delaware and the West Chester School District (PA), as a teacher of geography and a guidance and adviser counselor.
He has taught music privately for twenty years, and has been a performing musician for forty five years. He currently works with various jazz groups, as well as the Tide Water Brass Band. Over the years he has performed with Dr. Lonnie Smith, Pa Pa John Defrancesco, Jymie Merritt, Sam Dockery, Shirley Scott, Eddie Green, John Blake, Gregory Herbert, and Eddie McFadden.
Mary-Helen Rossi, Business Director
A co-founder of Merge, Mary-Helen attended 4 years at George Washington University and over the years served as a researcher at GWU, as a report/speech writer for the National Energy Administration, and as creator and manager of a graphic design firm in Washington, D.C. In 1992 she and her husband Bill created EMTAH where she served as Associate Executive Director for 15 years. She has two children, Alex and Jen.
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