On-Campus Events: Social & Academic Success
Helena Sarcone
Section I: Overview of Project
For my Investigating Community Literacy Project, I chose to focus on the role of university sponsored events in the formation of an on-campus community at the University of Alaska Anchorage. The literacy affinity group that I studied are students who attend on-campus events, including students working for the Student Activities and Commuter Student Programs department. Before this project, I knew very little about on-campus events. I had walked by some and peered in, but the majority of my experience was seeing the multitude of posters plastered around campus.
I conducted two observations on the UAA campus: A spoken word event featuring Amal Kassir on November 7th, 2017 and an open mic night on November 15th, 2017. Both of these events were in the Student Union on UAA campus, but in different areas of the building. The spoken word event took place in the cafeteria and the open mic was in the Den, two very different environments.
I conducted two interviews for this project. I chose to interview Kimberly, a first-year psychology student, who attended both events. Additionally, in order to gain perspective related to the Student Activities department, I interviewed Savana, a senior who plays a major role in planning events on campus. I conducted both of these in the Student Union on November 7th and 30th, respectively. My guiding question for this project was centered around the literacy involved in on-campus events meant to cultivate a community of commuter students. My initial hypothesis, developed after attending spoken word, was: the use of inclusive language and encouragement at spoken word and open mic night events create a community of commuter students. This hypothesis evolved throughout my observations. I started this project with the intention of just focusing on students that were attending these events, but quickly realized that the students organizing the events are just as important. My final hypothesis is that the literacy related to the organization of on-campus events is essential for not only creating an on-campus community, but for giving UAA students on opportunity to merge their academic and personal interests.
Section II: Analysis
Text. Texts, what “people read, write, and then talk about,” are essential for the success of open mic and spoken word events on campus (Lindquist and Seitz 74). Both events featured a signup sheet that students were directed to if they were interested in performing. Amal, the host and key speaker of spoken word, consistently referenced the signup sheet during the event and instructed the Student Activities staff to “let [her] know if any names go on.” When the event started to slow down, Amal convinced “one more person” to sign up in order to reach the time limit. At the open mic night, the “great” sign-up sheet was associated with students who “have an amazing talent to show us.”
In addition to the sign-up sheet, a post-event assessment is used by Student Activities to plan for future events. An assessment printed out on tie-dye paper was distributed to students after the open mic night, and many filled out the short questionnaire right away. In contrast, there was not an assessment handed out after the spoken word event. Originally, this was a main point of analysis in my paper, but after interviewing Savana I found out the reason for this. The spoken word event was such “an awesome, personal experience” with high audience participation that there was no need to pass out an assessment.
Lastly, posters are used by the Student Activities department to advertise their events. I did not focus on the use of posters, but, in her interview, Kim specifically mentioned that a poster advertising the spoken word event encouraged her to attend. Kim was required to find a UAA event to attend for class and when she “started looking around [at] what events were going on” a poster featuring Amal, wearing her hijab, caught her attention.
Context. When asked to describe the ideal setting of spoken word and open mic nights Savana used the word “cozy.” The vision for these events are for them to be in a very personal, comfortable environment i.e. the Den. Originally, I thought that the decision to hold the spoken word event in the Student Union cafeteria was purposeful, and it was to some extent. However, Savana clarified that, in fact, the Den was booked every night a spoken word event is scheduled. Not only this, but Amal is so well known that the event couldn’t take place in their second location but had to be moved to the cafeteria to accommodate the size of the audience.
At first glance, the Student Union cafeteria is a very impersonal space filled with grey chairs and tables starkly illuminated with fluorescent lighting. For spoken word, the main cafeteria was divided into two, creating a small area for the audience. There were about 15 rows of grey plastic chairs, divided by an aisle in the middle. The chairs all faced the stage, a grey rectangle with a podium on the right and a single microphone in the center. However, despite how uncomfortable the physical space felt, Amal and the Student Activities employees worked hard to create a welcoming environment. Amal did this by constantly encouraging the audience to participate, and many times asked them to “give it up one more time” for students who performed.
In contrast, the Den offered a relaxed and casual space for the open mic night. The cozy room with dim lighting, a sunken stage, and a massive fireplace offered students many options for seating. Round tables in the back of the room were filled students enjoying the environment while not being immediately involved, while couches next to the performers allowed students to interact with the stage.
Function. I identified two levels of the function of literacy at spoken word and open mic night: those that are related to the specific event and those that are connected the university. Posters and post-event assessments have a university wide impact, both socially and financially. Posters are spread all across campus, and this semester every event was planned in advance, potentially increasing attendance by giving students enough time to plan ahead. Like the posters, the post-event assessments have a far reach. Not only are they a tool used to rate audience reactions and plan for future events, but they have a hand in determining funding. Specifically, assessments are used to track student feedback and attendance, both of which impact how much funding is allocated to Student Activities by the USUAA, the student government organization.
In contrast, sign-up sheets and the encouraging language used to influence students to participate are very event-specific. The sign-up sheet functioned as the gatekeeper that maintained and sustained student performances. At both the spoken word and open mic night the sign-up sheet determined the course of the event. When the sign-up sheet didn’t have enough students, encouraging language was used to pressure students to sign up, increasing audience participation.
Participants: When asked about the role of students in the Student Activities department Savana replied that it’s “100% student led.” Savana explained that “if you are the event lead, you’re planning everything that’s going on.” Essentially events organized by the Student Activities department are made by students, for students. It was clear that the student employees controlled the event, but students attending the events still had individual agency to decide if they wanted to perform or not. University of Alaska Anchorage students, both those attending and those organizing, are the main participants at these events.
Motivation: When asked if regulars attend the events, Savana responded “Oh yeah, they’re fun.” These events offer a comfortable environment that simultaneously cultivates friendships and the growth of new performers. Spoken word and open mic night gave students a platform to share intimate experiences related to depression, rape, suicide, and discrimination. These performances were met with overwhelming audience support and encouragement.
Many students took these events as an opportunity to perform for the first time, including Kim. At both events the MC always made a point to acknowledge this, congratulating the performer. At open mic night one student performed a poem with the goal to “get over the fear of public speaking,” highlighting the inclusive environment. After her performance, she was met with a loud round of applause. After Kim’s first performance, a student in the audience made a point to come up and congratulate her with a first bump, recognizing how nervous she was.
Not only are students attending these events motivated to participate, but the student employees are as well. As an event lead, Savana has the opportunity to pursue her career interests at the university. She has the power to make her visions for events come to life, all through the Student Activities department.
Section III: Findings
Tentative Findings. Observing the spoken word and open mic night led me to two tentative findings: on-campus events are essential for the growth of an on-campus community and students benefit academically and socially from events organized by the Student Activities department.
When I asked Savana if she thought on-campus events were contributing to the growth of an on-campus community she responded with “definitely.” These events offer a space for students to connect their academic and personal lives, facilitating the formation of peer relationships. I experienced this myself attending these events. Prior to the spoken word event I had only known Kim as a barista at SteamDot, but spoken word offered an environment for us to get to know each outside of our normal interactions. We were both brought to the event for academic reasons, me for this project and Kim for extra credit. However, our experience at spoken word led us to exchange information, and then attend the open mic night together.
Spoken word events and open mic nights offer a “supportive campus environment” that is “one of the benchmarks of effective educational practice” (Jacoby and Garland 64). These events provide commuter students with an opportunity to form meaningful relationships with their peers, increasing their sense of belonging at the university (65). This was made evident at the spoken word by students sharing personal experiences about sexual assault and depression.
Studies have shown that students “are positively affected by social … integration” (Newbold et al. 143). The environment of spoken word events and open mic nights cultivate positive social integration for UAA students, both participants and organizers. The audiences of both events interacted and responded to Student Activities employees, laughing and supporting performers consistently, with and without direction. It was evident that UAA students are positively influenced socially and academically by the social integration that characterizes these events.
Additional Questions. I am interested in how the growth of social media will impact the organization and implementation of on-campus events. Social media has its own set of literacies that can affect how successful an account is. Savana mentioned that Student Activities is currently using Facebook, Instagram, and twitter for outreach, but posters continue to be the most effective marketing strategy. When asked to elaborate Savana said “Twitter for us, isn’t good,” but exclaimed “Instagram’s poppin’.” It is possible that social media is the future for marketing at UAA, and this investigation brought this to my attention.
Section IV: Discussion
If I were to continue with this project I would conduct a more comprehensive exploration of on-campus events. Spoken word and open mic nights are just two types of events offered over the course of the fall 2017 semester. The Student Activities department organizes DIY activities, singles nights, movie nights and other on-campus activities that are not related to performance. I think that observing all of these events could lead to questions regarding how many students regularly attend university sponsored events. More observations could give broader insight into how interpersonal relationships are formed and maintained. I would conduct more interviews with students participating in the events to identify potential growth of their social circle.
Additionally, quantitative data in the form of attendance sheets would be used to support this study. Not only would I take a deeper look at students attending the events, but this exploration led me to the realization that the students working for Student Activities are just as influenced by organization of on-campus events. Savana provided insight into the responsibilities of students working for the department, but I am interested in how students develop and implement marketing strategies. An exploration of the department could shed light on the goals and tactics they use to form an on-campus community. Lastly, I would study if and how the skills student employees gain at the Student Activities department benefit their academic career.
Section V: Conclusion & Implications
Personally, this experience has introduced me to a community that I didn’t know existed at UAA. These events have influenced my personal relationships with peers, most notably Kim. Our communication has evolved from purely a barista-customer relationship to a friendship. The spoken word event and open mic night expedited the friendship process, and we have since planned to hang out in the future and attend more events together.
This experience has shown me that literacy is dependent on context and is situated in a web of interpersonal relationships. Literacy is a social practice because it is a determinant of communication. The more familiar actors are with the literacy of a specific situation, the more freely they can interact and communicate with others. Student employees were literacy sponsors at spoken word and open mic night by welcoming student participants with encouragement and support, however, we were all literate in that we are students at UAA.
Works Cited
Jacoby, Barbara, and John Garland. "Strategies for Enhancing Commuter Student Success." Journal of College Student Retention 6.1 (2004): 61-79. Print.
Lindquist, Julie, and David Seitz. The Elements of Literacy. Pearson Education, Inc., 2009. Print.
Newbold, John J., Sanjay S. Mehta, and Patricia Forbus. "Commuter Students: Involvement and Identification with an Institution of Higher Education." Academy of Educational Leadership Journal 15.2 (2011): 141. Print.
For my Investigating Community Literacy Project, I chose to focus on the role of university sponsored events in the formation of an on-campus community at the University of Alaska Anchorage. The literacy affinity group that I studied are students who attend on-campus events, including students working for the Student Activities and Commuter Student Programs department. Before this project, I knew very little about on-campus events. I had walked by some and peered in, but the majority of my experience was seeing the multitude of posters plastered around campus.
I conducted two observations on the UAA campus: A spoken word event featuring Amal Kassir on November 7th, 2017 and an open mic night on November 15th, 2017. Both of these events were in the Student Union on UAA campus, but in different areas of the building. The spoken word event took place in the cafeteria and the open mic was in the Den, two very different environments.
I conducted two interviews for this project. I chose to interview Kimberly, a first-year psychology student, who attended both events. Additionally, in order to gain perspective related to the Student Activities department, I interviewed Savana, a senior who plays a major role in planning events on campus. I conducted both of these in the Student Union on November 7th and 30th, respectively. My guiding question for this project was centered around the literacy involved in on-campus events meant to cultivate a community of commuter students. My initial hypothesis, developed after attending spoken word, was: the use of inclusive language and encouragement at spoken word and open mic night events create a community of commuter students. This hypothesis evolved throughout my observations. I started this project with the intention of just focusing on students that were attending these events, but quickly realized that the students organizing the events are just as important. My final hypothesis is that the literacy related to the organization of on-campus events is essential for not only creating an on-campus community, but for giving UAA students on opportunity to merge their academic and personal interests.
Section II: Analysis
Text. Texts, what “people read, write, and then talk about,” are essential for the success of open mic and spoken word events on campus (Lindquist and Seitz 74). Both events featured a signup sheet that students were directed to if they were interested in performing. Amal, the host and key speaker of spoken word, consistently referenced the signup sheet during the event and instructed the Student Activities staff to “let [her] know if any names go on.” When the event started to slow down, Amal convinced “one more person” to sign up in order to reach the time limit. At the open mic night, the “great” sign-up sheet was associated with students who “have an amazing talent to show us.”
In addition to the sign-up sheet, a post-event assessment is used by Student Activities to plan for future events. An assessment printed out on tie-dye paper was distributed to students after the open mic night, and many filled out the short questionnaire right away. In contrast, there was not an assessment handed out after the spoken word event. Originally, this was a main point of analysis in my paper, but after interviewing Savana I found out the reason for this. The spoken word event was such “an awesome, personal experience” with high audience participation that there was no need to pass out an assessment.
Lastly, posters are used by the Student Activities department to advertise their events. I did not focus on the use of posters, but, in her interview, Kim specifically mentioned that a poster advertising the spoken word event encouraged her to attend. Kim was required to find a UAA event to attend for class and when she “started looking around [at] what events were going on” a poster featuring Amal, wearing her hijab, caught her attention.
Context. When asked to describe the ideal setting of spoken word and open mic nights Savana used the word “cozy.” The vision for these events are for them to be in a very personal, comfortable environment i.e. the Den. Originally, I thought that the decision to hold the spoken word event in the Student Union cafeteria was purposeful, and it was to some extent. However, Savana clarified that, in fact, the Den was booked every night a spoken word event is scheduled. Not only this, but Amal is so well known that the event couldn’t take place in their second location but had to be moved to the cafeteria to accommodate the size of the audience.
At first glance, the Student Union cafeteria is a very impersonal space filled with grey chairs and tables starkly illuminated with fluorescent lighting. For spoken word, the main cafeteria was divided into two, creating a small area for the audience. There were about 15 rows of grey plastic chairs, divided by an aisle in the middle. The chairs all faced the stage, a grey rectangle with a podium on the right and a single microphone in the center. However, despite how uncomfortable the physical space felt, Amal and the Student Activities employees worked hard to create a welcoming environment. Amal did this by constantly encouraging the audience to participate, and many times asked them to “give it up one more time” for students who performed.
In contrast, the Den offered a relaxed and casual space for the open mic night. The cozy room with dim lighting, a sunken stage, and a massive fireplace offered students many options for seating. Round tables in the back of the room were filled students enjoying the environment while not being immediately involved, while couches next to the performers allowed students to interact with the stage.
Function. I identified two levels of the function of literacy at spoken word and open mic night: those that are related to the specific event and those that are connected the university. Posters and post-event assessments have a university wide impact, both socially and financially. Posters are spread all across campus, and this semester every event was planned in advance, potentially increasing attendance by giving students enough time to plan ahead. Like the posters, the post-event assessments have a far reach. Not only are they a tool used to rate audience reactions and plan for future events, but they have a hand in determining funding. Specifically, assessments are used to track student feedback and attendance, both of which impact how much funding is allocated to Student Activities by the USUAA, the student government organization.
In contrast, sign-up sheets and the encouraging language used to influence students to participate are very event-specific. The sign-up sheet functioned as the gatekeeper that maintained and sustained student performances. At both the spoken word and open mic night the sign-up sheet determined the course of the event. When the sign-up sheet didn’t have enough students, encouraging language was used to pressure students to sign up, increasing audience participation.
Participants: When asked about the role of students in the Student Activities department Savana replied that it’s “100% student led.” Savana explained that “if you are the event lead, you’re planning everything that’s going on.” Essentially events organized by the Student Activities department are made by students, for students. It was clear that the student employees controlled the event, but students attending the events still had individual agency to decide if they wanted to perform or not. University of Alaska Anchorage students, both those attending and those organizing, are the main participants at these events.
Motivation: When asked if regulars attend the events, Savana responded “Oh yeah, they’re fun.” These events offer a comfortable environment that simultaneously cultivates friendships and the growth of new performers. Spoken word and open mic night gave students a platform to share intimate experiences related to depression, rape, suicide, and discrimination. These performances were met with overwhelming audience support and encouragement.
Many students took these events as an opportunity to perform for the first time, including Kim. At both events the MC always made a point to acknowledge this, congratulating the performer. At open mic night one student performed a poem with the goal to “get over the fear of public speaking,” highlighting the inclusive environment. After her performance, she was met with a loud round of applause. After Kim’s first performance, a student in the audience made a point to come up and congratulate her with a first bump, recognizing how nervous she was.
Not only are students attending these events motivated to participate, but the student employees are as well. As an event lead, Savana has the opportunity to pursue her career interests at the university. She has the power to make her visions for events come to life, all through the Student Activities department.
Section III: Findings
Tentative Findings. Observing the spoken word and open mic night led me to two tentative findings: on-campus events are essential for the growth of an on-campus community and students benefit academically and socially from events organized by the Student Activities department.
When I asked Savana if she thought on-campus events were contributing to the growth of an on-campus community she responded with “definitely.” These events offer a space for students to connect their academic and personal lives, facilitating the formation of peer relationships. I experienced this myself attending these events. Prior to the spoken word event I had only known Kim as a barista at SteamDot, but spoken word offered an environment for us to get to know each outside of our normal interactions. We were both brought to the event for academic reasons, me for this project and Kim for extra credit. However, our experience at spoken word led us to exchange information, and then attend the open mic night together.
Spoken word events and open mic nights offer a “supportive campus environment” that is “one of the benchmarks of effective educational practice” (Jacoby and Garland 64). These events provide commuter students with an opportunity to form meaningful relationships with their peers, increasing their sense of belonging at the university (65). This was made evident at the spoken word by students sharing personal experiences about sexual assault and depression.
Studies have shown that students “are positively affected by social … integration” (Newbold et al. 143). The environment of spoken word events and open mic nights cultivate positive social integration for UAA students, both participants and organizers. The audiences of both events interacted and responded to Student Activities employees, laughing and supporting performers consistently, with and without direction. It was evident that UAA students are positively influenced socially and academically by the social integration that characterizes these events.
Additional Questions. I am interested in how the growth of social media will impact the organization and implementation of on-campus events. Social media has its own set of literacies that can affect how successful an account is. Savana mentioned that Student Activities is currently using Facebook, Instagram, and twitter for outreach, but posters continue to be the most effective marketing strategy. When asked to elaborate Savana said “Twitter for us, isn’t good,” but exclaimed “Instagram’s poppin’.” It is possible that social media is the future for marketing at UAA, and this investigation brought this to my attention.
Section IV: Discussion
If I were to continue with this project I would conduct a more comprehensive exploration of on-campus events. Spoken word and open mic nights are just two types of events offered over the course of the fall 2017 semester. The Student Activities department organizes DIY activities, singles nights, movie nights and other on-campus activities that are not related to performance. I think that observing all of these events could lead to questions regarding how many students regularly attend university sponsored events. More observations could give broader insight into how interpersonal relationships are formed and maintained. I would conduct more interviews with students participating in the events to identify potential growth of their social circle.
Additionally, quantitative data in the form of attendance sheets would be used to support this study. Not only would I take a deeper look at students attending the events, but this exploration led me to the realization that the students working for Student Activities are just as influenced by organization of on-campus events. Savana provided insight into the responsibilities of students working for the department, but I am interested in how students develop and implement marketing strategies. An exploration of the department could shed light on the goals and tactics they use to form an on-campus community. Lastly, I would study if and how the skills student employees gain at the Student Activities department benefit their academic career.
Section V: Conclusion & Implications
Personally, this experience has introduced me to a community that I didn’t know existed at UAA. These events have influenced my personal relationships with peers, most notably Kim. Our communication has evolved from purely a barista-customer relationship to a friendship. The spoken word event and open mic night expedited the friendship process, and we have since planned to hang out in the future and attend more events together.
This experience has shown me that literacy is dependent on context and is situated in a web of interpersonal relationships. Literacy is a social practice because it is a determinant of communication. The more familiar actors are with the literacy of a specific situation, the more freely they can interact and communicate with others. Student employees were literacy sponsors at spoken word and open mic night by welcoming student participants with encouragement and support, however, we were all literate in that we are students at UAA.
Works Cited
Jacoby, Barbara, and John Garland. "Strategies for Enhancing Commuter Student Success." Journal of College Student Retention 6.1 (2004): 61-79. Print.
Lindquist, Julie, and David Seitz. The Elements of Literacy. Pearson Education, Inc., 2009. Print.
Newbold, John J., Sanjay S. Mehta, and Patricia Forbus. "Commuter Students: Involvement and Identification with an Institution of Higher Education." Academy of Educational Leadership Journal 15.2 (2011): 141. Print.
Helena Sarcone is pursuing a Baccalaureate of Anthropology.
This piece was selected by Professor Jacqueline Cason.
This piece was selected by Professor Jacqueline Cason.