7th annual “AGORA, a Celebration of Creative Expression” now available online
The 7th annual 2020 Agora, A Celebration of Creative Expression is now available for viewing at https://www.bluefieldstate.edu/agora/virtual-agora-2020.
Agora, A Celebration of Creative Expression is BSC Humanities Department’s annual event that selects first and second place winners among high school and BSC students’ submissions of original poetry, short stories, skits/one-act plays, personal essays, art (water color and oil paintings, pencil sketches), music compositions, photography, and sculpture.
High school winners for the 7th annual Agora are: Poetry: First place–Haley Brown of Tazewell High School; Second place–Breanna Dacanay, Princeton Senior High School; Art: First Place—Breanna Dacanay, Princeton Senior High School; Personal Essay: First Place—Samvat Yadav; Music: First Place–Chloe Osborne, Richlands High School
BSC student winners for the 7th annual Agora are: Poetry: First place–Robert Brown; Short Story: Daniel Hawks; Music: First Place–Kara Sandy; Photography: First Place–Sarah E Cook; Art: First Place–Nathasha Woart; Second Place—Joseph S. Jones
“First and second place winners will receive BSC scholarships of $500 and $250, respectively,” affirmed BSC’s Enrollment Manager Dr. Anthony Underwood who believes “events such as Agora, which bring prospective students and their families to campus, should be supported substantively.”
These awards are always announced during the much anticipated on campus event held on the third Wednesday of April every year. But, in anticipation of not being able to convene in April 2020, “We had to plan for a virtual gathering,” said Agora Coordinator Dr. Sudhakar R. Jamkhandi. “The words of the song from Lion King 2 kept reverberating in my mind: ‘Love will find a Way’ to which I added–virtually. So, here we are, the virtual 2020 Agora is now available for viewing.”
Said BSC Provost and VP for Academic and Student Affairs Dr. Ted E Lewis upon reviewing the program: “Agora is a wonderful opportunity for Bluefield State College to celebrate and promote the creativity of our community by inviting college students and employees, students and faculty from area public schools and other regional institutions of higher education, and members of our community to share their original works of art, music, and photography. I commend Dr. Jamkhandi for his leadership of this important cultural experience.”
As in the past, viewers may visit the web site https://www.bluefieldstate.edu/agora/virtual-agora-2020 to view and listen to the video recordings of poetry readings and musical performances. .
Said Jamkhandi: “Thanks are owed to BSC Web Developer Larry Zande for compiling the virtual Agora, which features not only high school and BSC students and alumni, but also former Fulbright artists who visited BSC as well as area musicians and poets, and even my nephew in India. They have willingly shared of themselves, their time, and their talents, and without their involvement, the 2020 virtual Agora would not be.”
Added BSC President Robin Capehart: “I hope we can convene on campus in April 2021 and enjoy the ambience of the live event that Agora is and the fellowship it promotes. After all, everything we do at BSC is for our fellow human beings.”