SANDY LEEGUMJORN | Reporter

Volunteers, international student, and attendees were able to show their talents on stage during International Student Fellowship’s open mic night Wednesday in Evans Commons.

“I love providing a safe place for students to explore and share their creativity,” Ava Lanius Schaeffer, an International Student Fellowship volunteer, said. “It enriches all of our lives to celebrate that in one another.”

Schaeffer also said there are always surprises from the “least likely” people.

The performers sang karaoke, gave speeches, read poetry and played instruments.

Dawn Forbes, an International Student Fellowship volunteer, said she loved how the arts are appreciated by all, no matter where one is from in this small world.

“I noticed how the accents went away when students sang a song in English,” Forbes said. “Music works the right side of our brain, which is different than the cognitive side.”

Pawonee Khadka, from Nepal, said she attended the mic night for the past two years, but had never performed before because she is shy.

“However, my friend is graduating, so she was like ‘We need to perform together,’ and I couldn’t say no,” Khadka said.

Khadka said she had fun singing to Adele, “especially when everyone participated.”

International students and volunteers also get to learn about popular songs from each other’s generations. The students typically sing more modern songs, while the volunteers sang some oldies. 

“It is nice to listen to old songs that my grandparents listen to,” Khadka said. “The volunteers reminded me of my grandparents back home.”

People in the event got to perform whatever they wanted because the point was to have fun and laugh.