Student Media’s monthly Slam & Jam is back. It aims to “bring creative people together,” featuring “music but also comedy, sketches, and poetry,” said David Palacios, Student Media Operations Assistant. Hosted each time by a different branch of the Rollins Student Media department, the event is set for Friday, February 28 at 7 p.m. on the Kathleen W. Rollins steps.
Slam & Jam will be hosted by The Independent Magazine, one of Rollins’ student media branches, known as the “I” in SWIB. Taking on hosting duties for the first time is Mary Rust (’25), the magazine’s editor-in-chief.
“In past Slam & Jams, the ‘Slam’ part has been underrepresented,” Rust said, referring to the dominance of musical performances over spoken word and poetry. Rust aims to bring poetry and other written work to the forefront, even setting the tone for the night by performing a piece of her own.
Rust envisions a lively, interactive Slam & Jam, encouraging the audience to engage with snaps and “oohs” and “aahs” to create a true spoken word experience. She draws inspiration from Austin’s Coffee’s Poetry Night in Winter Park, a community partner of WPRK, emphasizing that “good crowd interaction feels like a conversation.”
For those nervous about stepping up to the mic, Rust offered encouragement. “Everyone gets nervous; it’s a natural human response,” she said. “Anxiety and excitement come from the same place. With both, you’re waiting for something to happen and how you respond—whether with fear or excitement—is all about perspective.” Any student can perform at Slam & Jam regardless of if they have worked or submitted it to Student Media. “So much can be accomplished,” said Palacios.
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