By Naomi Balk

CIU Student Writer

Open Mic in the CIU Ram Shack was a night of creativity and expression through singing, instrumentals, spoken word, rap, poetry, jokes, bagpipes and banjos and violins solos. The atmosphere buzzed during performances that were often spontaneous, raw and unpolished. 

Freshman Joy Jones called the November event, “Warm and homey and very open, and you got to see a side of people you do not usually see.”  

Decorated in yellow lights, the Ram Shack glowed and its comfy couches were crowded with appreciative students applauding each performance.

Freshman Brittany Bailey shared a personal poem titled, “My Child.”

“I want to use poetry to share who God is, and what he does and has done in my life. I want to use it to reach people,” Bailey said. “Poetry opens up minds in new and different ways.”

It was a bittersweet night for graduating senior and Music major Michael Lanier. Lanier has been a driving force behind Open Mic, organizing the first one during his first semester on campus at the request of the student body president. He has also performed original tunes at Open Mic on nearly a dozen musical instruments.

“I want to be a professional musician and entertainer in a secular market in order to spread the word of God,” Lanier said.