Live @ Starbucks unites students through music

A Mason student shares his guitar talents in the Live @ Starbucks series (photo courtesy of Audrey Mattaino).

This semester, the Office of Housing and Residence Life is featuring Live @ Starbucks as part of a series of recreational events dedicated to connecting Mason students through their interests.

“Students have that opportunity to highlight their work playing guitar or doing poetry,” said Jamal Myrick, graduate resident director of OHRL, about Live @ Starbucks. “We're providing really great opportunity to get their faces out there and enjoy themselves.”

There has been positive feedback from students about the Live @ Starbucks music series, which features live music and spoken-word performances by students.

“Students are saying 'we wish we could do this more,” Myrick said.

Myrick said that he saw a need for an outlet for students to be able to perform for their peers.

“[Students] want to be highlighted and express themselves,” Myrick said.

The OHRL has been hosting events in each neighborhood, including an Arcade Night in Aquia which is a series where students can get together and play arcade-style games, the Live @ Starbucks music series in Rappahanock and the Shenandoah Silver Screen movie series, where OHRL puts on a movie for students, according to Joey Allen, residential student program coordinator, in an email. The OHRL works with each neighborhood to develop such community events.

“Each group works really hard to put on these events,” Allen wrote.

“[The series] brings the Mason community together,” Myrick said, “students can go and connect with other Mason students if they want to watch a movie, eat some popcorn, if they want to get that coffee house feel and relax, or play video games.”

The series are monthly, with the next Live @ Starbucks on Nov. 29 and the next Arcade Night on Nov. 19. The Silver Screen movie series will begin again in the spring,  Myrick said.

“I hope the students continue to come out for their fellow Patriots,” Myrick said.