The month of April is “Literary Spring” for the English department at Sacred Heart University. During this month, the department hosts several events that celebrate the arts.
“Events include student readings, theatre performances, open mic nights, workshops, and even reading events with writers outside of the SHU community,” said Prof. Amie Reilly, the Literary Spring coordinator, as well as the Writer in Residence for Sacred Heart.
The first event of the month was an open mic night for student readings, hosted at the Edgerton Gallery on April 2.
At this event, there were 12 student readers and performers.
“I attended the kickoff open mic night, and it was amazing to see my creative peers share work they are proud of,” said sophomore Olivia Plyler. “There is something incredibly special about listening to others’ words as a group simultaneously. Whether we knew each other or were strangers, it felt as though if we were all connected.”
Source: Caleb Jean-Pierre, Staff Photographer
Senior Victoria Rinaldi also attended this event.
“It was so much fun that everyone could present their work to the audience, which made it really cool to be able to hear their writing styles come to life,” Rinaldi said. “I plan on attending as many events this month as my schedule allows.”
President of the English Club, senior Dylan Chizmadia, explained how each event during Literary Spring brings something different and unique.
“The events are diverse for Literary Spring. One day could be a poetry reading, while the next could be a Q&A with an author,” said Chizmadia.
Every SHU student can attend or participate in these events, regardless of their major.
“The intention is for the whole SHU community to see what happens in the arts on campus,” said Reilly. “I would love to see students from all disciplines participate.”
Attending these events can help students develop skills and support each other.
“My favorite part about these events is the community it brings together,” said Plyler. “I’ve always noticed that as an artist, I create some of my best work surrounded by other artists, therefore making some of these events very special.”
Reilly credited Literary Spring and its benefits to students to his classmates who participate in these events.
“Getting to know all the poets, writers, journalists, and playwrights around me was a big part of making my college experience enjoyable,” said Chizmadia. “There’s a lot of talent in this university, and when it comes to Literary Spring, writers and artists aren’t shy when expressing their craft.”
The calendar with the list of Literary Spring events for the month can be found on televisions around campus, or by checking your email to see reminders of when an upcoming event is.
Some of the events coming up are Monologues and One Acts with Terrell Sledge, April 24 in Martire W349, My Lavendar Night, April 25 in the Little Theatre, and Christopher Conte, Live Out Loud, April 26 in the Little Theatre.
“Events like these are beneficial to us students because they’re fun,” said Rinaldi. “We’re heading into the final weeks of our semester which can be very stressful, so it’s nice to still have something to be excited about amidst all the preparing for finals.”
