The Brandon campus brought double the excitement with both a talent and fashion show from 6 to 8 p.m. in the auditorium on April 10. Combined into one spectacle, students from all HCC campuses united with talents, fashionable yet professional modeling, prizes, and even some comedic moments.
Fourteen students from all five HCC campuses competed in the HCC’s Got Talent show, representing their campus while expressing their individuality. Due to this combined contest, the student activity coordinators collaborated to deliver and oversee the talents that their campuses showcased. Brandon campus student activity coordinator Garveate Ray expressed his opinion on the talent show’s purpose: “That HCC has talent. You can look at your fellow classmates or students in a different light, and you get to see other things they are capable of.”
Magician and comedian Tyler Korso was also present, hosting the event while entertaining the audience with his humor and lightening the mood of the competition. While all contestants—from singers to dancers to even an exhibition drill—received a major round of applause, the judges chose Constantin Dushniy, Alec Ortiz, and Raymond Dejesus as the first-, second-, and third-place winners. Dushniy’s breakdancing, Ortiz’s theatrical singing, and Dejesus’ upbeat rapping led them to win the prizes of $300, $250, and $150, respectively. Representing Dale Mabry, Brandon, and Ybor, all three made their peers proud for winning for their home campuses. However, there was a twist: the audience also had a say and voted for Silas Mares as the audience favorite for the mystery prize of an Insignia FireTV.
Following the talent show, the career resource center partnered with JCPenney to bring an engaging showcase with insights on how to ace an interview. Over 25 students and faculty members posed for the audience, some wearing business professional attire while others wore business casual attire. However, the audience was not just observing; they were offered double-sided voting paddles to judge whether the clothing was acceptable. Students learned the do’s and don’ts when it comes to business attire, such as avoiding flashy colors and open-toed shoes while wearing the proper fit and keeping it simple. It was not all serious, however, as everyone got a laugh out of HCC’s beloved mascot, who forgot to put some pants on when strutting a pose.
The students performing were not the only prize winners. The entertainment continued after both shows ended, with a raffle awarding winners items such as a Smart TV, AirPods Pro, and swag bags. For the fashion show, they offered the first of 25 students from the audience to sign up to win $25 gift cards at JCPenney’s suit-up event.
Besides all the laughs and presentations, the events showcased the pursuit of one’s dreams, leading a successful life, and mutual support. Second-place winner Ortiz, with the encouragement of his friends, reflected on this perspective when he considered joining the talent show: “They were kind of like my motivation to do the show this year. Eventually, when I did it, it turned out to be really fun, and it kind of got me in a different headspace to think like, oh, I can do this. It was something that brought me joy. Do what you love because it’ll bring you to places like this where you can earn really good things.”
