Students dance to funk band at President’s Ball.
Photo by Clay Wegrzynowicz ’18
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Students, staff and faculty gathered together last Saturday night for the 10th annual President’s Ball. Held in the Bergethon Room of Marquis Hall, the event provided members of the Lafayette community a chance to dress up and join in the celebration of a new semester, as well as Lafayette’s launch of the Capital Campaign.
The “Live Connected Lead Change”campaign served as the theme for the night, with the intention to make students feel involved in the campaigning, President Byerly said.
Byerly wished to express the celebratory feeling of the campaigns kickoff in New York to Lafayette students, especially since the campaign is working to improve student experience at Lafayette.
It seems this wish was fulfilled, as many who attended the event felt positively about it.
“The live band was very entertaining and talented. [They] made the experience ten times better,”Chanel Mowatt‘17 said. “Last year’s ball was more about Byerly becoming president.This year felt more like the honoring of tradition and about having a place to celebrate the new semester and start it off right.”
The ball, which featured a photo booth, chocolate fountain, candy bar and hot food, also offered students an opportunity to interact with the staff, faculty and advisers that surround them on campus.
Dean of Intercultural Development John McKnight was glad that to have the opportunity to attend an event that included student, faculty and staff. He believes the school should host such events more often.
While students and faculty certainly enjoyed themselves, the president also had a good time at the ball thrown in her honor, citing taking selfies with students as one of her favorite parts of the evening.
“Its nice to have an occasion that brings together students from different areas of the campus…I really enjoyed seeing everyone dressed up and having a good time,”Byerly said. “It was nice to see the chocolate fountain continues to be popular.”