ACU students poured into the Paramount on Friday evening for the Welcome Week Talent Show.

The talent show gave incoming students the chance to perform for ACU faculty, parents and fellow classmates.

Emily Bushnell, senior elementary education major from New Braunfels, served as a student director for the activities committee for Welcome Week. She said this was the first year for the show to appear in downtown Abilene’s Paramount theater. Previous years’ shows were in Moody Coliseum.

“Having it at the Paramount definitely added a different feel,” Bushnell said. “It is more of a show venue.”

The Welcome Week committee discussed whether the Paramount would have enough seating for the audience.

“In Moody, nobody had ever done a headcount or worried about seating,” said Bushnell. “It was definitely something we considered.”

Bushnell said the committee advised group leaders to arrive early for the show.

“All were welcome until full, which is when we would have had to turn people away,” said Bushnell.

Talent show performances ranged from singing to rapping. Kayleen Nelson, a freshman business major from Lake Forest Calif., performed a beat-box routine.

“I grew up on music. Everyone in my family had huge talent,” said Nelson.

Nelson said she can play the drums along with many other percussion instruments.

“I’ve always loved music, so I just picked up on it,” Nelson said.

Dr. Eric Gumm, director of  the first year program, said they had a great turnout with well over 1000 people.

“Six-hundred people arrived 20 minutes before show time,” Gumm said. “I think that is a great testimony to how great [the show] would be.”

Winners of the Welcome Week Olympics and Fun Run were also announced at the end of the show. Prizes were handed out accordingly.