At PennWest California, Assistant Professor Dr. Greg Davis is helping students turn curiosity into capability—one mic cable and live mix at a time. As faculty lead for the Audio Engineers & Producers Club, he’s built a hub where Commercial Music Technology (CMT) majors and non-majors alike learn by doing: advancing faders, running soundchecks, and recording original music alongside a working audio engineer.

“This is a fairly new club,” Davis said. “We had a cohort of students that were just absolutely passionate about putting together some organization that could feed all students across campus, not just commercial music technology majors. As the shepherd of those courses in our program, it was no question as to whether I would advise that club. It’s been a game changer.”

The results show up on stage. During Welcome Weekend, students produced a live show in Gallagher Hall. “I oversaw the setup of the show. I helped them do their soundcheck. I helped make sure all the equipment they needed was there,” he said. “I was in the background—letting them get hands-on the gear, because that’s really what it’s all about.” With common hour restored, the club posted “our biggest first meeting ever,” and followed with an outdoor acoustic session, an all-original set by a CMT major, and audio reinforcement for an alumni concert series.

Davis’ path to audio started young. “Growing up, I was always very into watching movies with my grandfather, and around ten years old I started getting interested in the people that made the music,” he said. Marching band led to piano and music tech; from there he studied music composition and music technology at Duquesne University and built a career as a certified instructor and freelance engineer. “I love finding ways to create new art with technology,” he said. “I love being behind the board and being the vehicle that lets other people bring their art and put it into recorded format.”

His teaching philosophy is direct: learn by stepping into the arena. “In this field, it’s all about the hands-on. It’s all about the skills that you are able to bring to the table and show that you have,” Davis said. That means embracing the nerves that come with new roles. “Get comfortable with the idea of being uncomfortable. If you’re not feeling uncomfortable, you’re not learning.”

For any PennWest student who’s curious—musician, podcaster, filmmaker, or future live-sound pro—the door is open. “We’ve got a whole room of people here that were just where you are at one point—even myself,” Davis said. “Join us, plug in, and learn by doing.”