Jenna Bacon, Campus Carrier asst. arts and living editor
Over the years the Office of Information Technology (OIT) has put on several events including silent discos, trivia nights, and setting up bouncy houses. However, this year OIT has decided to do something a little different. This Friday, March 15, students, faculty, and staff will get the chance to showcase their talents during the Office of Information and Technology’s first talent show. Sophomore Valentina Nava Moran and (Insert year here) Taylor Carlyle are student workers in the OIT office and it was their idea to put on a talent show. Chief Information Officer, Penny Evans-Plant and Director of Technical Purchasing & Communication, Tonya Conway, took charge in assisting Nava Moran and Carlyle organize the talent show. The funding for this event comes from the OIT budget. After receiving the funds, Nava Moran and Carlyle had to devise a plan to let students know the talent show was happening. Nava Moran explained everything she and Carlyle did to get the word out about the talent show.
“So, I designed the flyer and had to get it approved by my supervisors. Then, we also we also tabled at Krannert. We sent emails and talked to faculty, staff, and students,” Nava Moran said. “Up to this point, we’ve been trying to get people to sign up and trying to just reach our goal; which we did this week.”
In order to provide people with an incentive to sign up, Nava Moran and Carlyle chose what prizes would be available for the winners. The list of prizes includes a pair of Apple AirPod Pros, a 32-inch smart TV, a speaker, and a framed print of Berry. According to Nava Moran, they wanted to include some technology as prizes since OIT is the one hosting the event.
There are many events at Berry that are exclusive to students, staff or faculty. The talent show is unique because it gives students, faculty, and staff a chance to experience and participate in something together. This talent show will assist in building connections between students, staff and faculty by facilitating discussions that don’t revolve solely around work or academics. It will give students, faculty, and staff a chance to see their peers demonstrate their talents while also promoting a sense of community. Evans-Plant shared why she thinks it’s important to give students, faculty, and staff a chance to share their talents.
“You can work with someone for years and not know that they have these sort of hidden talents or things that they don’t talk about,” said Evans-Plant. “So, it lets you get to know them on a whole new level.”
Talent shows can be a way for people to express themselves in different ways. Some people choose to share their love for music by singing. Others may express themselves through movement by dancing. Stand-up comedy and magic shows are other performances commonly seen in talent shows. Office and Project Manager of the Dean of Students Office, Haley Richards, is entering the talent show with her co-worker Web Strategy & SEO Manager of the Digital Marketing and Media Department, Cris deRevere. Together, they are performing a duet dance routine. Richards shared that she has a background in dance and that she teaches Zumba classes here at Berry as part of group fitness. Preparing for the performance has been a collaborative process. Richards explained how she and deRevere have been preparing for their performance.
“Cris has done a lot of the choreography so far and for a lot of the piece and then I’ve come up with a couple different parts of it as well,” said Richards. “It’s been a really collaborative process which I think is really fun. We have been able to practice in the multi-purpose room in the cage, which is a great space to use.”
Talent shows are also a fun way to support your friends. Performing in front of a crowd of people can be nerve-wracking. So, it’s always nice to know there are some friendly faces in the audience. DeRevere shares the reason she’s excited to cheer everyone on.
“One of my co-workers does a lot of extracurricular activities around theater and I’ve heard that he will be performing as well. So, I’m excited to actually see him and some of his skills because I’ve heard about them but not been able to see them in person,” said deRevere. “I know that a lot of my student workers are really talented, but I’m excited to see more students around campus showcasing their skills. I’m really excited to cheer everybody on.”