Sip Some Poet-Tea with Centertainment

My name is Dashanay Scott, and I’m a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point majoring in communication with an emphasis in media studies. I am the late-night event coordinator for Centertainment Productions, which is part of Campus Activities and Student Engagement. This past weekend I had a great time coordinating Poet-Tea, a poetry event with Ebony Stewart and Jay the Poet, also known as Joshua Hanyard, in the Encore of the Dreyfus University Center.

Centertainment Productions coordinates all sorts of on-campus events, including concerts, movies, comedy shows and poetry events. Every year, the Centertainment Productions staff attends National Association for Campus Activities, an activity conference, in St. Paul, Minnesota to book talent that the students will love for the upcoming year. It was at this conference that we booked Ebony Stewart.

After booking talent, the student coordinators decide what the event will look like, plans for advertisement and what other services the event will need. Along with every event there are countless roles and responsibilities that often go unnoticed, such as ushers, campus reservations and program services. Confirming and requesting these services are very important because without them, there would be no show. During the show, Ebony made sure to commend our program technician Amy on her great work with the stage lights and sound.

Coordinating a range of events will bring about a variety of emotions. With every event there comes multiple details and a time commitment. At times, the amount of details can become overwhelming, but having a supportive team, staying organized and having a thorough plan helps coordinate a successful event.

One of the things I like most about coordinating events for UWSP is that I’m able to indulge in the events that I put on.

I think Poet-Tea went very well and so did other attendees. My main goal for this event was to give attendees a relaxed atmosphere to develop intimacy with the poet. I hoped attendees would be able to feel the words being spoken rather than just listening. In the end, my goal was accomplished. The crowd was small, yet both poets kept the audience’s attention.

I think what makes this job stand out from others is that I can still be a student while working. It makes it more enjoyable.

Something that stood out to me with this event was the artists themselves. Their poems, while short, were touching. I felt as though some of the poems summed up emotions that I’ve felt my entire life. Jay the Poet and Ebony Stewart’s poems were diverse and each poet displayed characteristics of their attitude. I enjoyed when both poets channeled “the love of a mother,” while also speaking on the absence of a father.

Follow UWSP Centertainment Productions on Facebook if you’d like to stay up to date with our events. You can also download the Corq app to be notified of all events taking place near you.

Dashanay Scott

Reporter

dscot310@uwsp.edu

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