Chicken, Lattes, and Community Service: ASB Night of Talent

Event photo | Photo courtesy of BU ASB
Promotional photo courtesy of BU ASB.

Friday night, the aromas of Cane’s chicken and Pavement Coffeehouse espresso filled the air of BU Central as ASB participants gathered for an evening of free food and open mic entertainment at the ASB Night of Talent.

Chicken fingers and lattes may seem like a questionable combination, but somehow, it worked (the fact that it was all free probably helped). People literally sprinted to the food table once the chicken arrived and then waited patiently for their espresso while their fellow ASB volunteers performed onstage.

Alternative Spring Breaks (ASB) is a program within BU’s Community Service Center that puts together community service-oriented spring break trips to destinations around the country. ASB is open to all BU students and is a great, alternative option for your spring break trip (especially if wet t-shirt contests in Cancun don’t really tickle your fancy).

“I had a really great time on my trip last year,” said junior Stephanie Brown (COM ’15), who is now coordinating this year’s trip to Ohio. “ASB trips are a good way to spend your spring break meeting people and doing something for the community- and that’s really what ASB is all about.”

Although Friday’s Night of Talent was primarily an opportunity for all of the ASB coordinators and volunteers to get together and meet each other, it was also a chance for participants to show off their skills.

There were six acts. All were musical except for one, which, due to technical difficulties that prevented them from showing the video they had prepared, forced the group to read jokes they found on the internet, like the classic “What kind of music do mummies listen to? Wrap music!” (Cue groans, please.)

The other acts were a bit more prepared, like Martine Subey (COM ’16) and Lucy Mui (CAS ’16), who did a cover-of-a-cover, playing a charming version of Ed Sheeran and Passenger’s acoustic “Thrift Shop” and “No Diggity” mashup.

The BU BosTones also appeared, singing four soulful songs and, as they put it, “shaking booty like Miley Cyrus never could.” Their version of Lorde’s “Royals” was completely on-point with any Pentatonix-worthy arrangement and rounded group sound. However, their cover of Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love” definitely took the cake, with soloist Ceylan Yuce (COM ’14) wailing through riffs while her fellow group members swung their hips in appropriate Queen Bey style.

Overall, Friday’s event was a testament to the community that is ASB. The level of support and commitment within ASB was evident throughout the night as everyone spoke passionately about the trips they were involved in.

“The purpose of ASB is to build a community service organization within BU,” said Atlanta trip coordinator Justin Soto (COM ’16). “The fact that we do different trips around the country lets the country know just what BU is made of.”

Want to know more about ASB? Check out their website and consider getting involved! 

About Alene Bouranova

Alene Bouranova (COM '16) is a Journalism major from Seattle, WA. She loves exploring Boston and enjoys the simple things in life like Pinterest, Netflix, and bagels.

View all posts by Alene Bouranova →

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