Faculty and staff in festive seasonal fashions brought holiday cheer to the serving line as they dished up selections for students from a bountiful banquet prepared by Chartwells Quinnipiac Dining.

Volunteers adorned the dining hall with special table settings, twinkling lights, and holiday decorations; while visits with Boomer and music from WQAQ set a fun tone for the evening as students enjoyed their meal with friends. Tasty activities on the upper level let students pick the perfect candies and frosting to decorate gingerbread cookies, choose among decadent toppings to make their own ice cream sundaes, and find their favorite piece of pie from a generous selection of varieties to top off their holiday meal.

“I think this is one of the unique events that Quinnipiac hosts every year. To the best of my knowledge, no other university in this region does something like this,” said event lead organizer Mohammad Elahee, professor of International Business. “Quinnipiac has a very welcoming culture, and I think events like this reinforce that inclusive message. Our faculty and staff serve our students our holiday dinner, and it really helps faculty and staff connect with the students."

Elahee, who has volunteered with the dinner committee for over 25 years, said the credit for this Quinnipiac tradition goes to Jill Martin, retired professor of legal studies, who founded the event 41 years ago and organized it for the final time last year.

Through the years, the dinner has grown, with 1700 students registered to attend the free event on December 4 and 200 faculty and staff signed up to help.
President Marie Hardin said it was a joy to share in this special Quinnipiac tradition with students, faculty and staff.

“This is a tradition that goes back more than 40 years, and I think it is remarkable that the community comes together with such enthusiasm, energy and excitement around this tradition. You can tell it means a lot to students, but it also means a lot to faculty and staff,” Hardin said.

Provost Deborah Liebowitz said faculty and staff feel a special connection to this event instituted by a fellow faculty member.

“This is the 41st year of this event, and a faculty member, Jill Martin, is the one who conceived of the idea that the faculty and staff would serve students a wonderful holiday meal,” said Liebowitz. “It’s a really important community and symbolic gesture about the faculty and staff caring for students. We’re nourished by food, and food is about community and connection; and so it really is a way to exemplify all of the values that are at the core of Quinnipiac University.”

Manning one of multiple carving stations serving turkey or roast beef, Chief Experience Officer Tom Ellett said faculty and staff are invested in helping present a special event for students as they enter finals week and the holiday season.

“It’s really something very special because everything is planned out by the faculty and staff, from carving the meat to cleaning the tables and sitting with students who might come alone. And for the students, it’s the best meal of the year,” said Ellett.

Friends Elijah Rivera ’28, and Daniel Moshette ’28 came to the Undergraduate Holiday Dinner last year and were happy to be back for another year.

“It’s just a good event because everyone here can come together and enjoy themselves, especially as we’re going into finals week and then leaving,” said Rivera. “It’s also good because a lot of people can meet new people they may have never seen before and make new friends. It’s a really good tradition."

Making their third Undergraduate Holiday Dinner appearance, 10 roommates, all members of the Class of 2027, started their night with a memorable group photo at the holiday photo booth furnished by Chartwells Quinnipiac Dining.

“We came the last two years, and we wanted to come for a third,” said Alex Rodriguez ’27.

“It’s good food and it’s fun. It’s nice to just hang out with everyone before finals week and before everyone goes home. It’s a nice break in the day from studying.”

Chartwells Quinnipiac Dining Unit Marketing Manager Lexi Pepe ’24 was helping Bobcats make memories at the photo booth.

“I really enjoyed the holiday dinner as a student -- it was one of my favorite events on campus. It’s just a nice way to connect with friends right before the holiday,” said Pepe.

“Chartwells works on preparing all the comfort foods that the students love. It’s been great collaborating with the committee and partnering to give back to the students, and to help this tradition continue.”

As international students from Zimbabwe, sisters Lorraine Matuza MS ’26 and Leona Matuza MS ’26 were new to the holiday dinner but looking forward to joining in as part of the Quinnipiac family.

“This is our first time. We can’t wait to taste the food and celebrate the holiday with everybody,” said Lorraine Matuza.

In-between serving beverages, Shea Teague, Melissa Karipidis and John Goepfrich took a moment to reflect on what makes volunteering at this event each year so meaningful to them.

“This is meaningful to me because I’m one of the hall directors of the first-year areas, and it’s so nice seeing my residents here with their friends and with the communities they’ve built, having fun and enjoying themselves,” said Teague, a residence hall director at The Ledges.

“It’s a lovely opportunity to provide a service to the students,” said Karipidis, director of housing. “I think we’re always asking things of the students – to participate, to build community, to be good citizens, to be good students and roommates -- and this is an opportunity for us to serve them.”

For Goepfrich, director of academic development and outreach at the Learning Commons, volunteering each year has become a special tradition.

“I have been working this event as a staff member for 16 years now, so this is as much a part of my holiday tradition as anything else,” said Goepfrich. “It’s always a lot of fun, and I think so much of what makes it meaningful is that students get to see us outside of our normal roles and our classrooms."

As a member of the dining committee who has been volunteering for 15 years, Aileen Dever, a professor of Spanish, spent this year at an activity station where students were writing special holiday messages on cards to be sent to military veterans.

Dever said it’s been amazing to watch the holiday dinner evolve into a wonderful, inclusive event which still resonates with Martin’s original intent.

“Jill Martin, many years ago, started the holiday dinner wanting to create a really meaningful tradition for students,” said Dever. “The best part for me every year is to see the students come together, at what is a little bit of a stressful time with final exams, and just relax, have some fun and enjoy that sense of community.” 

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