Student government and Student Foundation are hosting the All-University Thanksgiving Dinner from 5-7 p.m. today in Fountain Mall. The meal will be immediately followed by Fall Festival.
“There are going to be music, festivities and fellowship,” said Dr. Elizabeth Palacios, Dean for student development and adviser to the junior class. “This is a time where people can sit down together, talk and have a meal.”
The dinner will feature a brief speech from Dr. Kevin Jackson, Vice President for Student Life, hitting the traditional highlights of Thanksgiving with a blessing and commentary on thankfulness.
This event marks a milestone regarding student government and Student Foundation.
“This is really the first time that student government and Student Foundation have cooperated in the creation of an event,” Palacios said. “I think that represents the community we live in here at Baylor.”
The feast and following festival will both be free to attend, thanks to a donation from Aramark. Timeless classics are featured on the menu, including turkey, pumpkin pie and side dishes.
“Aramark has been extremely generous with the donation of all of this food,” Palacios said. “It means that this meal will be available to anyone that would like to attend.”
While the Aramark Corp. is better known around campus by the dedicated workers keeping hungry Bears nourished in Baylor’s numerous dining halls, the business also has a hand in catering events around campus.
“We’ve had a partnership for many years with Baylor University,” said Brittany Bonta, Aramark senior catering manager. “We think the catering just really enriches the entire experience.”
To assist in working off a few of the calories eaten at the meal, the Fall Festival will feature games and hot chocolate, sending students into the Thanksgiving holiday with a bang. The festival will last from 6-8 p.m., and will be held at the same location as the dinner.
“All around the nation, this has been a period where college campuses have been filled with unrest,” Palacios said. “This event provides everyone a time to rest, have some fun and realize that being a Baylor Bear means you live in a loving community.”
