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Within the first two weeks of this school year, Lauren Porter e-mailed an ArtStreet staff member and told her that she wanted to perform at Thursday Night Live.

Since then, the first-year public relations major has performed at ArtStreet's weekly student concerts and has come to be part of an even bigger project, the Thursday Night Live CD.

"When I first got the e-mail, I wasn't that surprised since I've been performing for a while," Porter said. "But I am getting more and more excited and nervous when every day I keep hearing more and more people talking about it."

Porter, along with other participants in Thursday Night Live, was informed that ArtStreet was recording all the performances during the first semester and then picking the best ones to be part of a compilation album.

The CD, titled "Thursday Night Live @ ArtStreet," will debut at the release party 9 p.m. Saturday in ArtStreet Studio D. This event is the result of a collaboration among ArtStreet, ArtStreet Cafe, Street Sounds Recording Studio and Residence Life.

The first 500 people to enter the party will receive a free CD. Attendees will also hear the artists perform, participate in raffles and receive prizes and ArtStreet Cafe discounts.

Tom Ondek, senior finance major, said he was thrilled when he received his e-mail notifying him about being featured in the project.

"I'd been on Thursday Night Live before, and [ArtStreet's staff] said they liked my music and wanted one of my original songs to be on the CD," Ondek said.

Ondek said his music is not about trying to make a career happen, but is just an expression of his experiences.

"Writing a song that actually means something to you is probably one of the hardest things I've done," he said. "But if you're feeling something, it just comes out. It's more of a passion type thing. I'm not looking to go into a career for it. I just do it because I love it."

Attributing his artistic side to his mother, Ondek said that his parents were the most excited out of everyone about the CD.

"My mom is more into the music thing than anybody I know," he said.

Katy Ondek, Tom Ondek's mother, said her son's participation in producing the album is a "wonderful opportunity."

"Words like 'awesome' and 'cool' are used so often, but I think music is one of those things you experience and get a feeling that there is no way to describe," Katy Ondek said. "And he gets that; Tom understands what it is. There are no words to describe it."

Not all artists featured on the Thursday Night Live CD are making music part of their lives simply for enjoyment. Porter said she is hoping to gain more musical exposure as well.

"I'm hoping to gain a larger following from this CD," Porter said. "I am doing things at UD that will help me in studying public relations, but this CD serves as motivation to keep working and waiting for that record deal."

Porter is not the only one who is hoping to gain experience. Pat McInnis, senior general studies major, said he wants to eventually record his music on another CD.

"I made an EP [extended play] at the recording studio on campus with some other musicians, and it was an undertaking," he said. "After I graduate and do my own thing for a while, I definitely plan to come back to music and record another CD."

According to McInnis, many student musicians feel that there is an abundance of talent at UD that is going unnoticed.

"Having a CD like this can let people know about the musical talent on campus," McInnis said. "I'm honored to be a part of it."

Porter encourages musicians on campus to stay focused and to continue with their music.

"It's all about just staying persistent and having a passion for what you do," she said. "I went to a performance by a student, Kelly Fine, and she is good. I'm just amazed that we have people like that here. We have to stay hungry and passionate about what we're doing."

Artists featured on the CD are Kelly Fine, Pat McInnis, Tom Ondek, Jordan Hart, Drew Morrison, Lauren Porter, Phil Cenedella, Chris Yakopcic, Robbie Upleger and the Jaywalkers.

Free tickets are available at the ArtStreet main office and other campus locations. For more information, call (937) 229-5101 .