A trio of university organizations came together last week to host their second annual “Community Thanksgiving” dinner on the night of Wednesday, Nov. 12.
A collaborative effort between the Hilyard Center, the International Center and UND Athletics, the event promised a cozy, come-as-you-are evening where students and other members of the UND community could connect with others and enjoy a Thanksgiving-style meal completely free of charge. It proved to be a huge success, the Memorial Union Ballroom in which it was held brimming with just over 600 people coming together to eat and socialize; an increase of over 200 guests from last year’s dinner.
“[Events like this] provide opportunities for students to come together and meet new people,” said Dr. Stacey Borboa-Peterson, director of the Hilyard Center. “We believe it’s easier to connect with new people and engage in conversation when there is food involved.”
The Thanksgiving meal was thorough in its offerings, including nearly every staple one would expect to see on the table this coming Thursday: stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, bread rolls and cranberry sauce, green bean casserole and turkey were all present, not to mention a healthy spread of different pies for dessert.
For some guests, the meal was an especially novel occasion, for reasons that to the average American may sound unbelievable.
“Many students have never had or participated in a Thanksgiving meal, and this is a fun and new experience for them. This year, I had two students ask me how you eat turkey because they had never had it before.”
In addition to food and companionship, UND Athletics also provided a unique opportunity for attendants. By incorporating the Red Cross into the event via a table in the back corner, students could express their gratitude to service members in the armed forces in the form of thank-you cards.
The partnership between the three organizations began to take shape three years ago, when the Hilyard Center hosted their very first “Friendsgiving.” Noticing the large number of international students in attendance, co-hosting the next event with the International Center itself seemed like a natural partnership, Borboa-Peterson said. In putting together last year’s event, they discovered that UND Athletics was hosting a similar dinner on the very same day, also in the Memorial Union. With all three parties willing to work together, the first rendition of Community Thanksgiving was born, and with such huge improvements in attendance from that first partnership, it seems likely that the event will only get bigger in the coming years.
“The Community Thanksgiving has become an event that is truly focused on student engagement and community building,” Borboa-Peterson said. “It was amazing to see students coming together and filling the tables.
Quinn Berg is a Dakota Student Section Editor. He can be reached at [email protected].
