Marching to the beat of his own drum: UAB drumline member graduates with civil engineering degree

Jonah Ross
Photography: Ian LogueJonah Ross started playing drums at 10 years old, and it quickly became a passion that would carry him through high school and into his college years.

After joining the marching band in eighth grade, Ross knew he wanted to play in a college band. When he came to the University of Alabama at Birmingham to pursue a degree in civil engineering, it was natural that he joined the Marching Blazers and the Blazer Band.

When thinking back on his time at UAB, some of the highlights of his college experience include traveling with the band for UAB Football and UAB Basketball games.

“My freshman year was during COVID, so we did not get to travel,” said the Jasper, Alabama native. “My sophomore year we got to travel to Louisiana when UAB Football played in the Independence Bowl, and that was such an awesome experience. The weather was rough during the game, but we made memories during that trip that I will not forget.”

While marching on the field during football season was a dream come true for Ross, it was during his first few games attending another Blazer sport that he found his love for the Blazer Band because it mixed two of his favorite things – playing drums and UAB Basketball.

“I am an avid UAB Basketball fan, and I go to every home game that I can,” he said. “In Blazer Band, I got to play a drum set instead of tenor drums and the drum set sits on the floor of the court, so I get to be right there watching the game and got to be a fan and play drums at the same time.”

Ross says sometimes he would show up to Bartow Arena two hours before a game to set up his gear, and since he would be the only one there except for the team, he got to meet a lot of the players which only fueled his passion for Blazer Basketball even more. 

“The Blazer Band got to travel and go to Las Vegas with the teams for the tournament, and it was my first time flying and going out west,” Ross said. “We got to cheer on the UAB Men’s Basketball team all the way to the championship game and it was such an amazing experience.”

Photography: Ian LogueWhile at UAB, Ross got involved in other leadership organizations on campus including the UAB School of Engineering Ambassadors. In that role, Ross gave tours for prospective engineering students and worked events hosted by the Dean’s office. He earned an internship with Dunn Building Company where he used skills he learned from his classes in real-world scenarios.

On December 14, Ross will walk across the commencement stage with a bachelor’s degree from the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering. Although he is eager to graduate and start his first job as a full-time employee with Dunn Building Company, Ross will miss his time and all the memories he made while being a Blazer, but for incoming and future students, he has one piece of advice.

“Put yourself out there, make some friends and get involved anywhere you can to maximize your college experience.”

Looking back on his four years as a Blazer, Ross knows he accomplished that.