The 4th Annual BandAIDS for BRIDGE Talent show packed the hall at the T. Pepin Hospitality Centre this Friday evening — entertaining students, faculty, staff and friends of USF Health with energetic acts ranging from heartfelt singing and dancing to musical arrangements and comedy.

For the first time this year, audience members were invited to text their votes to choose a winner from among the top four contestants selected by judges.  Taking home the winning trophy  for her powerful rendition of Adele’s “Someone Like You” was College of Pharmacy student Bionqua Lynch.  The other three finalists were  Chorda Symphani, a rock band of four second-year medical students performing a medley of songs; first-year medical student Shane Leighton, jazz guitarist; and first-year medical student Ricardo Rendel, hip-hop dancer.

Commanding the stage with her powerful peformance of “Someone Like You,” USF pharmacy student Bionqua Lynch was this year’s winner of the BANDaids for BRIDGE talent show.

Beyond showcasing the talent of student performers, the event benefits the USF BRIDGE Healthcare Clinic, a nationally-recognized initiative of students from several colleges and schools that provides free health care to underserved residents of the University Area Community.  Since its creation by USF medical student Madeline Synder, the show has raised more than $30,000 for the clinic.

Dapperly dressed in tuxedos, Dr. Charles Lockwood, USF Health’s senior vice president and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine, and Michael Carr, talent show director and second-year medical student, hosted this year’s show.

Sharing the evening’s emcee role were second-year medical student Michael Carr, talent show director, and Dr. Charles Lockwood, USF Health’s senior vice president and dean of the Morsani College of Medicine.

Judges were Bryan Bognar, MD, vice dean of the Office of Educational Affairs for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine; Ed Funai, MD, chief operating officer and vice president Administration for USF Health; Joel D. Momberg USF senior vice president of Advancement and Alumni Affairs and CEO of the USF Foundation; and Madeline Snyder, fourth-year medical student and creator of the BANDaids for Bridge talent show.   Their insightful feedback and humor helped lend an American Idol-style flair to the show.

Chorda Symphani rocks the house.

The 15 acts featured:

One Arm Harry: Doris Deng, Monica Stewart, Mark Bender, and Shane Leighton, first-year medical students.

Bollywood Ballers: Thejal Srikumar and Manjari Pedapudi, second-year medical students.

Dermatones: Jeff Robison, Nafis Noman, Steve Peretiatko, and Abhinav Mohan, first-year medical students.

The Voice From Above: Tara Zimmerman, Standardized Patient Liaison for the Center for Advanced Clinical Learning (CACL).

USF Bull Banghra: Nupur Godbole, Masood Mohammed, Sushma Dey, Abdul Hashimie, Bryce Thalakal, and Pretti Singh, USF Health Graduate School and 7-year MD & USF Pre-Medical Program.

Radha/Nagada Dhol: Alisha Rathi, Anam Ahmed, Sarah Rawi, and Shiva Patel, first-year medical students, first-year medical students.

Someone Like You: Bionqua Lynch, College of Pharmacy student.

Pianist: Steve Peretiatko, first-year medical student.

Say Ahh Acapella: Katherine Allen, Amanda Brennan, Bionqua Lynch, and Victoria Psomiadis, students from the College of Medicine and Pharmacy.

USF Health Orchestra: Led by Frazier Stevenson, MD, MCOM Associate Dean, and members of the USF Health Community.

Waltz of the Flowers: Marzenna Wiranowska, Thejal Srikumar, James Preston Ebaugh II, Gael Nicolas, Young Cho, Jin Chong, Angela Angeleska, and Sasha Ivanov, students and faculty from USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.

Imagine: Alana Jackson, USF Health graduate student.

Hip-Hop Dance: Ricardo Rendel, first-year medical student.

Jazz Guitarist: Shane Leighton, first-year medical student.

Chorda Symphani: Ajay Koti, Alex Podlaski, Camille Imbo, and Samuel Reynolds, second-year medical students.

Also performing at program interludes were: Michael Carr performing Malaguena, and Megan Melody performing “Someone Like You” from the Broadway production Jekyll and Hyde.

Medical student Shane Leighton performs jazz guitar.

Sponsors for the evening included: Pepin Distributing, Showstopper, Couch Family Foundation, USF Health, Encore, Quest Diagnostics, Mr. Larry King Jr. of Cheval Golf and Athletic Club, PRP Wine International, Opening Act, Dr. and Mrs. Krishnan, Dr. John Sinnott, Tampa Bay Rays, Tampa Bay Sporting Clays, Jessica Watson, Dr. Judy Genshaft, Fish Hawk Spirits, Cigar City Brewing, Ciccio Cali, Museum of Science and Industry, The Brunchery, Keel and Curley Winery, Mrs. Roberta Ann Stegemeier, Dr. Frederick Slone, Patricia Bickel, Yeungling Brewery,Tan Spa, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The production team included Vidhya Krishnan, assistant director; Megan Melody, production manager; Audrey Hopkins, creative director; Will Jin, BRIDGE liason and videographer; Nupur Patel, silent auction manager; Matt Applebaum, Preston Ebaugh, Sam Reynolds, and Brad Miller, bouncers and ushers; and Tim Juwono, photographer.

Medical student Ricardo Rendek wows the audience with his hip-hop skills.

The panel of judges, from left to right: Dr. Bryan Bognar, Dr. Ed Funai, Madeline Snyder and Joel Momberg.

Bollywood choreography was a crowd pleaser.

The USF Health Orchestra, led by conductor Dr. Frazier Stephenson, MCOM associate dean, performed the overture to Schubert’s “The Magic Harp.”

The production team

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Photos by Eric Younghans, USF Health Communications