MCC Students & Alumni Headline Open Mic Night at Coffee & Cotton Cafe

Middlesex Community College is excited to be featured at Untitled Open Mic, a popular Lowell poetry series for poets, singer-songwriters, beat-box artists and more. Four student and alumni writers will headline MCC Night at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17 at the Coffee & Cotton Café.

“Untitled is an event I always look forward to attending and being invited to read as a feature is a huge honor,” said Ray Anganes, an MCC alum. “My coursework and extracurricular activities in the MCC creative writing scene helped me branch out in my craft and challenge myself. Every novel I’ve written has been distinct from the last in both theme and style, and I attribute my interest in writing both wide and deep to MCC’s excellent creative writing program.”

Anganes, of Tyngsboro, studied chemistry and creative writing at Middlesex. An avid writer, he has been an active participant of the writing spaces at MCC and Untitled Open Mic. At the event, he will read a short story from his “Europan Reef Gold,” a science fiction frontier story set on Jupiter’s ocean-moon. He credits the college for helping him become a better and more creative storyteller.

MCC Creative Writing student Olivia Steen, of Dunstable, will read four poems of varying subjects. Having always loved to write, Steen chose to pursue her passion as a major. She credits professor Tom Laughlin for his help throughout the creative writing journey.

“I wanted to participate in the Open Mic Night because I felt honored to be one of the people chosen to read,” Steen said. “I haven’t really gone out of my comfort zone to read in front of many strangers besides having to do it for classes. This is also my last semester, so I think that it’ll be a nice send-off.”

Anganes and Steen will be joined by MCC student Ariadna Muñoz and alum Lexy Perry. MCC students are welcome to sign up to read in addition to the featured writers.

The Coffee & Cotton Café is located at 240 Jackson Street, Fourth Floor, Lowell.

MCC Night at Untitled Open Mic is co-sponsored by the Creative Writing Program and the Office of Student Engagement. Visit https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/english/creative.aspx for more information about the event.