For students on campus during the Thanksgiving break, faculty-hosted Thanksgiving dinners provide an opportunity to celebrate the holiday. Ellie Skelly spoke with a student and a faculty member who are planning to have a Wildcat Thanksgiving.
EMERITUS PROFESSOR ROGER BOYE IS NO STRANGER TO MAKING NORTHWESTERN FEEL ONE STEP CLOSER TO HOME.
Roger Boye: “A mother comes up to me. She says, are you the professor who had my daughter over for Thanksgiving dinner when she was a freshman? I said, well, probably. And she says I was so grateful for that. Because it would have been my daughter’s first major holiday away from friends and family.”
AS THE FACULTY CHAIR FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE…OR THE CRC…HE PLANS AN ANNUAL THANKSGIVING DINNER FOR STUDENTS ON CAMPUS.
HE SENDS OUT INVITATIONS…COORDINATES WITH A CATERER…BOOKS A VENUE…AND SOMETIMES EVEN OPENS UP HIS OWN HOME TO STUDENTS OVER THE HOLIDAY.
Roger Boye: “It’s a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.”
WHETHER IT BE EXPENSIVE FLIGHTS…HECTIC FINALS SCHEDULES…OR FAMILY FEUDS…MANY NORTHWESTERN STUDENTS CHOSE TO SPEND THEIR THANKSGIVING ON CAMPUS.
AND WHILE EVANSTON MIGHT NOT BE AS HOMEY AS…WELL…HOME…FACULTY HOSTED THANKSGIVING DINNERS…LIKE PROFESSOR BOYE’S TRY TO BRIDGE THE TWO.
Sophia Gambill: “I wouldn’t really call Northwestern a very homey place. But I think Rifka Cook, who was the faculty in residence hosting the Thanksgiving dinner, definitely tried to make the dinner feel like a really homey experience, which was nice.”
THAT WAS SOPHOMORE SOPHIA GAMBILL. SHE SPENT HER FIRST THANKSGIVING DINNER AWAY FROM HOME EATING HOLIDAY FARE IN THE FIRST-FLOOR LOUNGE OF ALLISON HALL.
Sophia Gambill: “I kind of liked the idea of a catered dinner. The dining halls are also closed for like dinner on Thanksgiving. So, it was my only like, on-campus option to go to. And it was also just like a way to meet people who were like also staying for Thanksgiving break, which was nice.”
SOPHIA EXPLAINED THAT IT WOULD BE HARD TO CALL THANKSGIVING ON CAMPUS A PICTURESQUE WARM AND FUZZY FAMILY HOLIDAY.
BUT SHE EXPLAINS…THANKSGIVING HAS NEVER REALLY BEEN THAT WAY FOR HER FAMILY.
Sophia Gambill: “Well, me personally, Thanksgiving at home is is a little bit more chaotic. So, I think Thanksgiving Northwestern is really just, like, what you make it to be, and it’s a pretty relaxed day.”
SO…WHILE FACULTY-HOSTED THANKSGIVING DINNERS MAY NOT CONTAIN ALL OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A NORMAN ROCKWELL PAINTING…THEY MAKE SURE STUDENTS HAVE A PLATE FULL OF FOOD AND A COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT THEM.
AT LEAST…SOME STUDENTS HAVE TOLD PROFESSOR BOYE THAT…
Roger Boye: “I was able to get my term papers finished I was able to catch up on my homework, and, and having the dinner made it made the idea of staying on campus all the better.”
FOR WNUR NEWS…I’M ELLIE SKELLY.
