As a communication studies major, Tammy Taylor finds joy in being able to identify different speaking skills that she has learned in her classes.

Taylor attends the Yapalooza every chance she gets and said she gets emotional because she is able to take away something personal from the performances.

“I cry every year. I think it’s good to bring out different emotions for different reasons. If you don’t start out finding something that you like as Dr. Wilson said, you will hopefully by the end relate to,” Taylor said.

The Yapalooza is hosted by the Speech and Debate Forum every semester and is open for anyone to participate.

This semester’s performances included short stories, essays, poetry, and impromptu speeches.

The event is meant to promote and show the work that is being done by the students and faculty in the organization.

While students like Taylor attend to make connections with the performers, other students weren’t sure about what to take from it.

Although Katie Harrington, a sophomore communication major, found the event interesting, she said she would have liked to see the performers have a connection with each other and stick to one of them or topic.

“It wasn’t at all what I was expecting. I was expecting speeches that went together or at least correlated with one another. While sitting there and realizing they had absolutely nothing to do with one another was eye opening,” Harrington said.

Harrington did enjoy communication professor Mara Loeb’s performance because it was intricate and she used props.

Harrington appreciated the fact that Loeb performed her piece without a script or any reading aids.

Catherine Turner-Wilson, communication professor, was amongst the faculty members who performed.

Wilson performed two poems along with an essay.

She believes it is important for students and faculty to come together and perform.

“We’ve always to view the ULM’s Speech and Debate forum as an opportunity for students and faculty to participate because what the organization essentially does is bring scholars and traveling debaters to campus since we ourselves do not travel to other places,” Wilson said.

The Speech and Debate Forum has hosted the Yapalooza for over five years. It takes place every semester.

The organization is open to all faculty members and students of any major who have the desire to become better communicators.

This year, 10 people performed at the Yapalooza on Tuesday night.

Wilson read work by Raymond Carver, an American short story writer and poet, and Annie Dillard, an American author.

Loeb read “Offerings” by Marlene Buono, an author of flash fiction.