Trevor Stoyer can now call himself a world champion. In summer 2025, the AAE student played mellophone and marched with the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps. The Crusaders captured their first Drum Corps International World Championship title in August.

The DCI World Championships are held over three days at Lucas Oil Stadium in front of more than 20,000 spectators. Around 40 corps compete in the preliminary competitions.

The top 25 World Class corps advance to semifinals and the top 12 move on to finals. “I have marched at a few corps,” Stoyer says. “I  started at the Spartans, which was an Open Class corps at the time. I did one summer at the Madison Scouts. I set my sights on the Boston Crusaders because I loved their recent show designs.”

At Purdue, Stoyer plays mellophone and French horn for the “All-American” Marching Band, Boiler Brass, the men’s basketball pep band and other indoor ensembles. He’s also a member of the Purdue Aerial Robotics Team.