Have a talent that’s been itching to be showcased? The time has come for students to have their 15 minutes of fame!

For the first time, the Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) is to host the All Abilities Talent Show on Friday, November 20, 2015, from 6:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Miron Student Center (MSC) Little Theatre. Attendees will be given the chance to not only enjoy the performances before them, but some light refreshments as well.

The night is expected to be filled with comedic acts, singing, dancing and even some juggling, too! “Our mission with this talent show is to provide a platform for anyone who feels they have a talent to showcase. We support all [talents], regardless of ability or diagnosis,” said Julian Demartinis, graduate occupation therapy major and President of SOTA. Talent show participants will be a mixture of Kean University individuals and non-Kean community members.

All proceeds from the All Abilities Talent Show will go towards purchasing a bus. “The bus will be used to provide consistent, reliable and safe transportation to members of PAR FORE, the Kean University Occupational Therapy Community Cares Clinic and other healthcare clinics at Kean University to minimize the barrier of transportation to aftercare and healthcare services,” said Demartinis.

Members of Kean University PAR FORE
http://parfore.org/kean_universitys_par_fore

The All Abilities Talent Show does not require tickets to be purchased. However, with the intent to purchase a bus, SOTA will be collecting donations of any size. Speaking on the behalf of SOTA, Demartinis said, “we of course respect the financial situations of our attendees and however much they feel they can afford, knowing that the proceeds will be going to a worthwhile cause!”

Readers may be wondering how SOTA, and therefore occupational therapy, is related to the endorsement of the talent show. Demartinis explained that “occupational therapy is a healthcare profession that believes that how we occupy our time, or the activities we choose to occupy our time with, have an influence on our health.” SOTA wants to provide the stage for all willing individuals that wish to display a hobby of theirs in the talent forum. “SOTA wanted to ensure we were supporting valuable community outreach programs. The All Abilities Talent Show will enable SOTA to do so.”

While the deadline has already passed for non-Kean University affiliates, it’s not too late for students, faculty and staff to sign-up to demonstrate a hidden talent! It is asked that an email be sent to sota@kean.edu with the email subject reading “Talent Show Participation”.