The Residence Hall Association’s (RHA) annual Winter Ball was held this past Saturday, Feb. 22, in Woodrow Wilson Hall from 8 pm – 11 pm. “The Great Gatsby” inspired ball welcomed 403 guests ranging from freshmen to seniors, with guests and faculty encouraged to dress in 1920’s fashion.
Krista Varanyak, RHA President, said, “We absolutely loved the theme of the night and it goes perfectly with Wilson Hall. This year was a huge success and although we hope each year will be bigger than the last, this ball will be hard to top.”
Tickets for the ball cost $25 which included a ticket for admittance, food, drinks, and entertainment.
Danielle St. Vincent, Vice President of Special Events and Programming for RHA, dressed in a strapless, black sequin ball gown said, “A lot of work went into planning tonight’s event but we could not be happier with the way it turned out. Wilson Hall is a beautiful place to host the ball. When else can you get the chance to relive your prom?”
St. Vincent coordinated the entire ball. Everything from flower arrangements, to the food choices, and even picking the theme for the night was a result of countless hours of preparation from her and her fellow RHA members.
Food for the night was catered by Aramark. There was a total of eight appetizer stations and four buffet stations with two non-alcoholic beverage bars. Waiters and waitresses dressed up and served hors d’oeuvres on silver platters which included tomato soup shooters with grilled cheese bites, pigs in blanket, coconut shrimp and much more. Main courses included a build your own taco station, Italian food, side dishes, and a salad bar. A variety of confections and desserts were served as well including cookie cake bites, a build your own sundae station, a candy bar, and mango and strawberry cheesecake.
Briana Aceti, a senior psychology major, attended Saturday’s ball for the first time. “I came tonight to the winter ball because it was on my senior year bucket list. I have heard great things about it. Plus, how could I resist a ball in the beautiful Wilson Hall?” B. Aceti said.
Sister Alexis Aceti, a junior biology major, attended the ball for the first time as well. A. Aceti commented, “I came to the Winter Ball because I have never been to it before. I must say, the music was great, the food was phenomenal, and Wilson looked amazing.”
Entertainment for the night was provided by a DJ that played on the steps of Wilson Hall. Guests were encouraged to dance the night away. There were tables and seating provided for those who wanted to sit down and eat dinner and watch those on the dance floor.
Monali Patel, a junior biology major, said “The food is exceptional, the decorations are on point, and the music is great. Definitely glad I could get dressed up and experience the Winter Ball.”
The attention to detail for the decorations and certain pieces on the tables were made possible by Deirdre Design, a specialty floral shop located on Norwood Avenue. Centerpieces included vases of fresh flowers, pearls, diamonds, feathers, and candles, and helped to emphasis the Great Gatsby theme of the night.
The success of the Winter Ball is due to all of those who volunteered and spent countless hours planning, preparing, and paying attention to detail.
Ashley Morrow, a freshman social work major, got to see first-hand all the preparation involved. During the event, she signed in guests as they arrived. Morrow commented, “I love how beautiful the ball turned out. It was such a huge success and just gorgeous. I also love how organized and prepared everyone was.”
PHOTO TAKEN by Nina Costa
