The Student Showcase, a show coordinated by The Union each term, is a place for students to show their many talents to their peers. This term, it was held on Jan. 29 and showcased everything from singing to spoken poetry.
There were many graduating seniors performing that night, including Allyson Martens, who will graduate after this term. Martens sang a solo of “All I Ask” by Adele, moving the crowd with her high notes.
“I have performed in the showcase about four or five times,” Martens said. “I love performing so (auditioning) was a no brainer. I always look for the audition dates.”
Martens’ favorite part about performing at the Student Showcase was “just being able to do something I love, which is singing. As a marketing major, there aren’t many opportunities to get to sing for fun like that.”
After performing at her last showcase, Martens thought about graduation. “It was sad but exciting,” she said. “My family was there and it all felt very right. It was the perfect way to end my time here. I will miss the ability to have a place to just sing and be myself. I’m not playing a character, it’s just me singing up there and it was a truly special time.”
The biggest group to perform was the girls of worship service group Focus, who sang “Good Good Father” by Christian artist Chris Tomlin, which included seniors, such as Devan Conness.
Conness has performed at this event a couple times before this: her freshman year, she sang with friends, and again her sophomore year, when she sang solo.
“All of the girls that I sang with are part of Focus, a Christian student organization,” said Conness. “Once a term we have a weekend retreat to the Dixon House, basically a log cabin mansion owned by NCC in the middle of nowhere. The weekend prior to the showcase was our retreat and a group of us were gathered in a room singing worship music; when we sang “Good Good Father” someone suggested that we sing for the Student Showcase, so we did.”
Conness shared that her “favorite part about performing was singing a song with my close friends that reflects the one thing that connects us all together – our faith.”
“I plan to perform at the Spring Showcase. My roommate and I are planning a duet; I am looking forward to it,” shared Conness, when speaking about her last showcase of her college career.
Knowing she’ll be graduating after spring term Conness said, “I have been intentional this year about appreciating all of the little things, just knowing that those kinds of things are what college is about.”
She added, “I’ll miss having the welcoming and fun space to perform, “ Conness said, “The Union is a unique place allowing any and all performances, I’ll miss having a space like that.”
