He completed his doctorate in 2013 at Indiana University in educational history. His work has appeared in the High Ability Studies, American Educational History Journal, a forthcoming issue of History of Education Quarterly, and edited volumes. He also serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Historical Research in Music Education. Dr. Hardesty has a B.M. in Music Education from Ithaca College and an M.A. in Ethnomusicology from the University of Limerick, Ireland. Before coming to Rockford, he taught music for four years in public and Catholic schools, as well as education courses at DePauw University and Indiana University.