By Madison Hanrahan
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began one year ago, colleges and universities have struggled to maintain a calendar of social events and activities to bring their students together. The tides are changing, though, as students and administrators slowly reintroduce more events to campus life. One upcoming event, sponsored by the Institute of Global Understanding (IGU), will surely bring a breath of fresh air to Monmouth’s campus community. As the three-day 2021 IGU Biennial Symposium approaches with its kickoff on Thursday, March 25, an entirely student-led social activity is in the works: the inaugural Open Mic Night.
Spearheaded by IGU graduate intern Emi Intili, Open Mic Night will be the highlight of student participation in the symposium. The IGU encourages all Monmouth students, staff, faculty, family, and community members to share expressions of their views on human rights and the environment. These can include singing a song, performing a dance, reciting a poem, displaying artwork, or simply sharing a thought about a deeply held perspective on the intersection of human rights and the environment. All students will perform via Zoom, so participants can engage from any location and inject more creativity into their performances than when they perform on a stage.
Those who are not comfortable performing live or who are unable to be synchronously present at the event can submit a recording or a TikTok video. The top three most creative pieces will win gift card prizes! Central to this event is that Monmouth University and the IGU are offering an opportunity for students’ voices to shine artistically and in dialogue with an attentive audience. In addition to the performances, the event will feature a Kahoot trivia game focused on topics related to human rights and the environment.
The Open Mic Night will take place on Friday, March 26 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. If this event intrigues you, register as either a performer or an audience member here until the start of the event. If you have any questions, e-mail Emi Intili at s0672455@monmouth.edu.