What:  More than three hundred students and their voices from across the nation are scheduled to make their way to the University of La Verne for the 12th annual College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational (CUPSI).

Produced by the Association of College Unions International (ACUI), in conjunction with the Sara and Michael Abraham Campus Center, the annual poetry slam (Spoken Word) is a four-day-long performance competition in which student poetry teams read or recite original, creative works in front of their peers and judges. It is the largest college poetry slam tournament of its kind in the United States.

This is the first year La Verne will host CUPSI, which has received a record number of registrants: 48 teams from more than 50 schools.

Renowned slam poet, Beau Sia, will give a closing performance at the finals on Saturday, April 21 at 7 p.m. in the Sports Science and Athletic Pavilion. Sia, who has appeared in the hit movie, Hitch, and performed on Broadway in Def Poetry Jam, is widely respected in the poetry slam community.

President Devorah Lieberman is scheduled to give opening remarks at 7 p.m.

The competition is designed to focus on three core competencies: communications, intercultural proficiency and student learning.

All students performing will be judged on a numeric scale by previously-selected members of the audience. 

When: Wednesday April 18 – Saturday, April 21

Where: University of La Verne – 1950 Third Street, La Verne, CA (Sports Science Athletic Pavilion)

Details: All preliminary bouts on Wednesday and Thursday, and the semifinal bouts on Friday are free and open to the public. Saturday’s finals ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m.  Tickets for the public are $7, students are $3 and University of La Verne students with ID are free.

Founded in 1914, ACUI is a nonprofit educational organization that brings together students and administrators from hundreds of schools in seven countries with the mission of building campus communities. The first CUPSI began in 2001.

For a detailed schedule of events to take place April 18 – April 21, please click here.

Contacts: Jim Brooks, Associate Director, Campus Center, University of La Verne
(909) 593-3511 ext. 4913, jbrooks@laverne.edu.

Alisha Rosas, Assistant Director of Media Relations, University of La Verne, (909) 593-3511, ext. 4708, arosas@laverne.edu.

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