BY BENJAMIN SCOTT
Cardinal Staff
Open Mic Night (OMN) may not be known to all on the Saint Mary’s University campus, but through word-of-mouth, it is growing in popularity.
Last year, three graduate students, Tim Fredrickson, Bethany Jorgensen and Brendan Dolan, came up with the idea. The event would provide SMU students with the opportunity “to be individuals without the pressures and judgment of a large audience,” said Dolan. “We wanted students to embrace their love for poetry, dance, comedy, music and theater.”
Comparatively, since its inception last year, the rate of attendance has grown immensely.At the first OMN last year, there were less than 20 students in attendance, whereas the first OMN this year hosted well over 100 students. “It has changed from three
hall directors struggling to find performers and grown into a group of strong student leaders that encourage their peers to challenge and represent themselves,” Dolan said.
Dolan’s goal, however, is not just to see Open Mic Night grow, but also to see it become a self-sufficient, student-run club. He hopes if the goal is reached it would “allow (…) students to completely control what they need, want and envision OMN to be without any pressure on specific content.”
“Amazing things can happen when you give a student (a) microphone and complete freedom,” said Dolan.
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