The stage is set for this semester’s edition of WU’s Got Talent, an event hosted by the Student Activities Board to showcase the many talents of Waynesburg University students.

After two days of auditions in early February, Assistant Director of Student Activities Ryan Smith said the panel of judges selected nine acts to move on.

“Within those there is people singing, playing the guitar and piano, playing the violin, baton twirling and some skits throughout,” Smith said.

Freshman exercise science major Alexis Beauregard will be singing at the event and said her decision to sing for the event was natural due to her interest in music.

“I wanted to perform in “The Voice” competition last semester but decided not to, due to other commitments such as volleyball,” said Beauregard. “I love singing. I naturally decided to sing for the talent show, since it was less of a time commitment, yet still a way for me to showcase my singing.”

Smith said the acts were selected on a few criteria, but the judges were looking for unique acts that would bring diversity to the show.

“Uniqueness — things that are different,” said Smith. “We have the WU’s Voice and so that is really about singing and that selection, but in this we try to incorporate other talents, so they are two more distinct events. Basically, [it’s] to showcase student talents and having as much diversity as possible during that showcase.”

Beauregard agrees with Smith and sees this as an opportunity to give her peers something from her talent, but also make her late grandfather proud.

“I want people to not only hear my voice but take something meaningful away from what I sing,” Beauregard said. “That could be a message, or simply just a fun time. My grandpa and I used to watch the Voice together before he passed away, and I know he’d be proud of me to see me perform.”

The top two finishers will take home a monetary prize with $100 to the first-place winner and $50 to second place.

Smith said it’s a great chance for talented students to come out and show the students, staff and community of Waynesburg what they can do.

“Sometimes on campus we don’t share what we can do or our talent, so this is an opportunity for those people to bring that to light,” Smith said. “So, some of the acts or performances you might not have known that this person can baton twirl or sing or play the violin, so it’s a time for them to showcase this with the Waynesburg community.”

Curtains will draw on this year’s WU’s Got Talent at 8 p.m. on Feb. 22 at the GPAC.