Want to have a music night with friends and family? Brookdale can help. Alpha Pi Theta Honors (Brookdale’s own PTK) is hosting a music showcase/open mic night 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14 at the BCC’s Performing Arts Center. All the proceeds of this event will be donated to a scholarship for the music school “Rock It Live Academy.”
It was my pleasure to interview 20-year-old education student, Christina Urbano, vice president of PTK, to get the details about the showcase/open mic night.

G: “So, Christina. Tell me. How are preparations for the show going?”

C: “Preparations are going well and there is a week left, so we are filling spots for performers. We are waiting on eight performers from the foundation we are sponsoring for. Around eight PTK officers are going into the music department and see if anyone wants to sign up. One thing we are strictly looking to have is organization, and all the proceeds from this event will go toward the money for this scholarship.”

G: “Christina, let’s talk more about this scholarship and the academy to let Brookdale students know more about it!”

C: “Certainly! This scholarship was my idea, to begin with. (She chuckles.) It will be going to the owner of the academy, Bruce Gallipani. He came up with the name of the academy, and it is located in ATEC 001, here on our own Lincroft campus. They have different types of performers, but they mostly work on rock bands. They are trying to expand their program and that is why we are trying to do this scholarship, for him, because he does this job with a passion.”

G: “That is really inspiring! Tell me more about the guidelines and requirements for whoever wants to enter or wants to do an open mic performance.”

C: “So, this is for any type of music: We accept entries with a song from a musical. We are even telling Brookdale’s dancing department to perform dance numbers in between singing performances. Back to the requirements, there is no rehearsal before the show, so it’s on you to be prepared and rehearse at home. If you want to sing, you can send your entry as an mp3 formatted audio or write the lyrics of the song in the email! The video is aimed at the dance department if they want to participate. Everyone, even non-Brookdale students, your family, your friends are invited to come see or participate in this showcase!”

During the interview, Christina called 53-year-old English professor Angela Saragusa, who is the adviser of PTK, as she gave clarity on very important information for the performers.

G: “Good afternoon, Mrs. Saragusa! Thank you for participating in this interview!”

A: “You welcome, Giulia! Call me Angela. And thank YOU for scheduling this interview and writing this article about the showcase! It really means so much to us that you could spread the word about this event and what it’s all about.”

G: “You welcome, Angela! It’s always a pleasure to cover these kinds of events and let our Brookdale students get involved. Tell me more about additional requirements that performers and students need to know before entering and attending the event.”

A: “With pleasure. We have a piano, and we cannot support drum equipment because there is not enough time to set it up in between sets. We allow guitar amps, though. It’s more of an acapella, bar type of open mic night/showcase and we want performers to be in a more natural setting. We agreed on the performance to have a time of 7 minutes, and right after the performance, you can leave the stage. The price for admission to the event is $5 for Brookdale students and non, also for the performers that do open mic or submit an entry. The deadline for the submissions is Dec. 10, and the PTK email is [email protected]. We are making sure that the event will be family-friendly. Furthermore, we are leaving open spots for people in the audience who would like to perform, defining the term “open mic” per se.”

G: “Well, thank you so much for your time, Angela! I will see you at the event.”

A: “You welcome Giulia! Can’t wait to see you there!”

Both chuckle, as words of admiration for the adviser are spoken, and the interview with Angela continues.

G: “To continue along with this interview, Christina, let me ask you what is the goal that you aim to achieve with this event?”

C: “Well Giulia, the goal for this night is to deepen relationships/build connections between students through the art of music and show how it is a form of play. We want it to be an event that helps people have fun with music. Also, Bruce volunteered to take the time and bring the guitar equipment backstage as quickly as possible. As I said before, we want the show to be as organized and relaxed as possible.”

G: “It will be a fantastic event; I am sure about it! And Christina, for whoever would like to enter PTK (Alpha Phi Theta), what are the requirements a student needs?”

C: “PTK is a National Honor Society in the country and the largest in our institution. The students need to have a 3.7 GPA to enter and keep a GPA of 3.3 to remain a PTK member. The one-time membership fee is $85. It gives access to many scholarships, in Brookdale, and whichever 4-year institution the student would like to transfer to after completing the associate degree. That is why most students join! We travel around the country to attend conventions and honors meetings. We will be attending a PTK convention in Maryland and Columbus, Ohio. This society also celebrates our accomplishments. And we are currently working on a mentorship program with Dr. Stout and Senator Vin Gopal. We plan this program to be launched in 2023. Dr. Stout wants the longevity of this program, and we feel this will set Brookdale in a different and higher range than other New Jersey institutions. We want to help students get different ways to achieve their success, including these kinds of projects.”

G: “And to conclude, would you like to give some advice to students who want to join PTK?”

C: “Yes, certainly! (She smiles.) The advice I can give you, Brookdale students, is to commit and apply yourself to your courses, motivate you to strive, and be the best students you can be. That’s what we want at PTK. Hard work and time management are the key! Anything is possible if you work and study, even to become part of PTK.”

Both bid their goodbyes, as they thank each other for the interview and the creation of this event.

If any Brookdale student wants to join or has more questions regarding the event, read the flyer or contact PTK via their email.
There is no better way to conclude this article with the request: “Can I have a mic, please?”