On May 2 at 5 p.m. in the Phoenix Rooms in the University Union, the doors opened for Sigma Tau Delta’s largest event of the year. Sigma Tau Delta is UW-Green Bay’s chapter of the English Honor Society and the student organization accompanying it, and they hosted the Celebration of Thought and Beauty.
This event is a showcase of many different art styles, including the physical and the verbal, the visual and the audible. It featured different artists with various pieces. Artist credits direct from Sigma Tau Delta are listed below, although some performance pieces could not be credited.
Sigma Tau Delta president and writing and applied arts major Jeremy Thompson describes the Celebration of Thought and Beauty as “akin to a talent show, but truly much more than that.” Thompson added, “It is a platform for all sorts of creative and/academic works in all shapes and sizes.” The event offers a space for students to present nearly any kind of artistic piece they choose.
Thompson, one of the individuals in charge of organizing the event, cites the coordination of the program and the order of performers as one of the most challenging aspects. Another was the organization of a fundraiser. In the end, the organizers decided to host a raffle to generate interest in the event. Tickets were distributed to Sigma Tau Delta members, performers, and audience members. Raffle prizes included a Minecraft Creeper mob backpack and a giant crocheted shrimp, created by “shrimphonous_shrimp,” a well-known figure on UW-Green Bay’s YikYak and in the broader campus community.
When asked how Sigma Tau Delta defines success in terms of Celebration, Thompson shared that there are two factors: attendance and engagement. “SUFAC (The Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee) looks at [raw numbers] when deciding how much funding Sigma Tau Delta is going to get by holding events like this,” Thompson said.
While attendance is a practical and measurable indicator of success, this is an artistic event, and therefore, engagement serves as the more meaningful objective. “A room of five people at the edge of their seats will always be better than a room of fifty sitting back and glaring at their phones,” Thompson said.
When it comes to what Thompson and the rest of Sigma Tau Delta hope audience members take from the event, he said, “The word ‘celebration’ isn’t in the title for nothing.”
When it comes to participating, Sigma Tau Delta isn’t picky with selection. The goal of the event is to showcase the art of students in whatever form. However, there are two barriers that potential artists must overcome.
The first one is content warnings. There aren’t banned topics, but content that is triggering or uselessly aggressive is discouraged. The second one is the use of generative AI, with Thompson saying, “As it stands right now, the Celebration of Thought and Beauty doesn’t allow works made by G.A.I. on stage or in the gallery.”
The Celebration of Thought and Beauty is open to all students, but alumni, professors, and community members are all welcome. Thompson said, “Thought and Beauty does not end at the doors of UW-Green Bay.”
The event concluded about 9:15 p.m., topped off by a short open mic period and the announcement of the winners of the various raffle prizes. First performance: “I really cannot put it into words other than what [will be] up here… It’s a celebration of both thought and beauty.”
Those interested in learning more about future Sigma Tau Delta events can visit the organization’s page on Phoenix Connect or follow its Instagram account @sosigmauwgb, as well as the UW-Green Bay Applied Writing & English Department at @uwgb_english.
Lineup (Alphabetized by last name):
- Aeris: Crown of the Plagueborne (Comic video trailer)
- Musa Abdikadir: Stars in Alabama/Christmas Eve in Grance/Words! Words!/Touche (Poetry readings)
- Musa Abdikadir: The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (Creative work reading)
- Kiah Bartsche: Esmerelda (Visual piece)
- Mia Bolyard: Untitled Monologue
- Sylvie Cavros: Arcane Wizard Flow (Creative work reading)
- Zoom Coe: Discrepancy (Creative work reading)
- Lonell Gage: Dr. Funkalicious’ Funky Fugue State (Color guard dance performance)
- Julia Hahn: Crashing Tides (Creative work reading w/ visual aid)
- Julia Hahn: Sock (Creative work reading)
- James Harris: Comedy Routine
- Kimberly House: Billionaire Makr (Interactive game)
- Brady Hurst: Zepperline (Creative work reading)
- Natalie Johnson: Poetry Readings
- Natalie Johnson: Po-Eun (Taekwondo demonstration)
- Josh Reiter: Felted Fox (Visual piece)
- Josh Reiter: Punish by Ethel Cain (Musical Performance)
- Abbie Riley: Comfort in the Darkness (Creative work reading)
- Abbie Riley: Middle Child Syndrome (Creative work reading)
- Danny Schmidt: Why is Life Hard? (Creative work reading)
- Rebecca Stewart: An Undying Companion (Creative work reading)
- Jeremy Thompson: Phoenix – The King of Cups (Visual piece)
- Jeremy Thompson: Soren vs. Scarlet Performative Excerpt (Creative work reading)
- Jeremy Thompson: The Tower of Cronus (Written piece)