By Joshua Parrott, Staff Writer
The deadline for students to write a rap song between two and four minutes in length for the MC ’03, Making Choices for Life rap contest has passed, leaving organizers disappointed that the contest has only two contestants.
David Merrill, coordinator of Student Multicultural Enrichment/Career Services, said he had hoped more students would have taken the time to participate in the contest, but said that prizes will still be awarded to the two contestants if he doesn’t move back the deadline to Feb. 24.
“I was hoping for a lot more,” Merrill said. “I don’t know if it is bad timing with Sing Song or what. I’m praying that we can get more than just two students to do it.”
He said any students interested in the contest need to contact him so he can review the lyrics and make sure they follow the guidelines for the contest. Students can rap about subjects including alcohol, sex and relationships, but clean language is a must for the contest, Merrill said.
Contestants would then set up a time to record the rap on videotape, which would run on KUF-TV7. Students would vote on their favorite rap. The top three raps would move on to compete March 5 in the Hilton Room of the Campus Center for one of three prizes offered for the contest. The first-place winner would receive $50, second place would get $30 and the third-place winner would get $20.
Merrill hadn’t decided as of Wednesday whether or not to extend the deadline to Feb. 24.
Paul Pollard, video services coordinator of the Adams Center for Teaching Excellence, said the timing of Sing Song and Lectureship would not be a problem for the recording of the student’s rap videos.
“The contest is not a conflict for us,” Pollard said. “We at the Adams Center are here to support faculty and staff in their purposes. We want to help them accomplish their goals.”
Steve Rowlands, director of University Counseling Center in Campus Life, said the contest is an excellent way for students to use their gifts to make wise choices in life.
“The rap contest is a just a way to get students to try to put some creativity into the need to make good choices,” Rowlands said.
