Dozens of students descended upon Merrick Lecture Hall on Friday evening to witness the Goucher Black Student Union’s first annual Student Showcase, filling almost all of the room’s 228 seats. Pockets of family members, faculty, and staff also populated the audience.
With Goucher’s cooling system still kicking into gear, the evening’s warmth made for an even hotter environment inside the lecture hall, but students still crowded in to see and support the various performers.
Hosts Jordan Abrams ‘25 and Olivia Alexander ‘24, who serve as GBSU’s Event Coordinator and Treasurer, respectively, were charismatic as they introduced each act and solicited audience participation during the show’s contests.
Abrams characterized the showcase as an evening of Black excellence, featuring talented performers and artists across genres. The packed program was balanced out with each type of performance alternating with others.
Left: Rapper KDCD performs his original song “Day Ones”, Middle: Shawn Pelote sings “Mango” by KAMAUU (feat. Adeline), Right: Naomi shares her original poem “Black in the Moon” / Photos by Amita Chatterjee
Goucher’s own Ann West ‘25 allured the audience in her enchanting dance to Rihanna’s Desperado, followed by designer Yovanna Bueno’s ‘24 hand-crafted crochet pieces, which were shown in a runway walk of 10 models.
Shawn Pelote ‘25 eloquently sang “Mango” by KAMAUU (feat. Adeline), hitting exquisite high notes, and first-years Trichelle White, Michelle Hill, and Sierra Stokes later put on an upbeat, willowy dance to Drake’s “Get It Together” (feat. Black Coffee and Jorja Smith).
Two other model walks featured original designs by Antonio Tyler and styled looks by GBSU President Shamira Morgan ‘23 and Vice President Esperanza Tyler ‘23. Each runway had a new dynamic to it, with models strutting in different formations and at times dancing or utilizing the first row of seats to make each act unique from the others.
The showcase also featured Black artists from the surrounding area, including rappers Kijaay, Trillbino, YungTheoryy, and KDCD, and spoken-word poet Naomi, who all attend Towson University.
Every element of the showcase was taken into consideration. The tech crew crafted harmonious lighting to accompany each act and set the mood for the performance, and refreshments were available to attendees. A delectable playlist was paired with and in between each element of the program, exciting the audience and characterizing every dance and model walk.
Not only did the event provide thrilling performances on a campus that is typically a ghost town on the weekend, but it offered opportunities for students to show their non-academic talents and local artists to get more exposure. Perhaps even more uniquely, it created collaboration and intercommunal interaction between Goucher and our neighbor, Towson University.
The showcase was organized by the GBSU executive board, which consists of the members listed above as well as External Ambassador Ty’Aria Johnson ‘23, Internal Ambassador ‘25, Secretary Aeon Edwards ‘24, Social Media Manager Manny Vidal ‘25, and Marketing and Outreach coordinator Lily L’Oiseau ‘26, many of whom also participated in the show.
Feature image of Trichelle White, Michelle Hill, and Sierra Stokes’ dance by Amita Chatterjee
