Hosted by the University Activities Board on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 8 p.m. in Talley’s Coastal Ballroom, this year’s Wolfpack’s Got Talent showcase celebrated the diverse talent that can be found at NC State. Students from all over campus came to support the musicians, magicians, singers, and dancers that performed.

Wolfpack’s Got Talent has been a staple UAB event for years. The audition process began earlier this year, when students were invited to send videos of their skills. This year’s acts included a violinist playing a medley of video game songs, a classical Indian dancer performing traditional dances and a magician sharing a series of card tricks. 

“It’s a little bit different than the traditional concerts that we plan,” said UAB Concerts Chair Cole Harris, a third-year studying biology. “This one is entirely students so it’s people you go to class with or you see in the hallways.” 

Along with the UAB Concerts committee, Harris is responsible for planning concert-related events. He helped organize PackHowl last fall and is currently preparing for Wolfstock, the all-day festival happening this April.  Preparation for Wolfpack’s Got Talent involved going through applications, advertising to the student body and communicating with the esteemed judges.

This year’s judges were Student Body President McKenzy Heavlin, 2021-22 Leader of the Pack Sarah Hall, a fourth-year studying biomedical engineering, and UAB President TyDasia Davis. 

When asked about judging criteria, Heavlin, a fourth-year studying electrical engineering, said that they look for a few key factors.

“Enthusiasm and stage presence is going to be a big one because the audience just really feeds off of that and so if you have a really good stage presence, I think the audience is going to vibe with you,” Heavlin said.

Enthusiasm was evident in all acts Thursday night and the excitement was palpable as the audience cheered on their family, friends and fellow students. 

Performer Bria Alexander, a third-year studying music, performed a jaw-dropping performance of “Never Enough.” Alexander said that she applied after seeing advertisements for Wolfpack’s Got Talent on Instagram. She also emphasized her love of singing and performing, which she enjoys as a choir member at her church and in NC State’s Wolfgang a cappella group. 

“I haven’t really performed by myself since the pandemic, and so it was just really nice to be able to sing and have an actual audience,” Alexander said.

Overall, it was this diverse energy that stole the show. Performers, audience members and judges alike were blown away by the creativity shared Thursday night.

“It’s just really cool to have time for people to take away from school and classes to focus on things that might not be evident in the academic world but can be really amplified here,” Hall said.

Harris said the event is expected to continue for years to come, as a fun way to support students. In the meantime, students are encouraged to check out the exciting events planned for the rest of the spring semester.