The echo of distant music could be heard across campus last Friday night as students attended the third annual Winter Formal Ball. Inside the ballroom of the Otter Student Union (OSU), the center of the ballroom was packed, with many spilling off of the dance floor, dancing on the surrounding carpet. Others stood or sat by the tables, while some stepped outside to enjoy the night air out in the plaza.
Jeff Rensel, the director of the OSU, confirmed that the dance floor is set to expand in the coming months. “The OSU is very happy that Student Engagement and Leadership Development (SELD) helped to procure a new larger dance floor for events like these,” he said.
This year’s event featured small but notable improvements to the ambiance, including additional glowing lights. Inside the ballroom, a photo booth had a steady flow of students entertained, while an artist drew free caricatures outside.
Students arrived in dresses, suits and ties, taking full advantage of the opportunity to dress up.
“I always dress up no matter what, but it’s nice to have a time where it’s socially acceptable,” said Sunny Del La Pena, a fourth-year business major, while waiting in line for the photo booth.
One change at this year’s Winter Formal was the absence of student volunteers traditionally working to take attendance and help run the event. This was an intentional decision by the event organizers, allowing the Winter Formal to be fully accessible to all students.
“[The Winter Formal] is one of the events we get to do that we do for students,” said Dan Burfiend, senior coordinator of student organizations, leadership development and assessment.
Unlike many campus events, the Winter Formal is not hosted by a single organization. Instead, it is a collaborative effort among multiple groups that work to provide events for students on campus. “It’s a collaboration between all of student life, if you look at the poster it doesn’t say AS (Associated Students) or OSU–it’s all of us,” Burfiend said.
“The Winter Ball is an opportunity for students from all walks to connect,” said Denise Tambasco, director of Student Engagement and Leadership Development (SELD).
Attendance was high, as it has throughout the event’s three-year history. By 9 p.m., more than 329 students had checked in at the front desk, well on its way to the attendance numbers the event typically draws. “It’s been pretty consistently big–we’ve been [getting] 400 to 600 [attendees],” Burfiend said.
Mini Monte, the OSU plush mascot, also made an appearance, accompanied by his handler Allyssa Calleros, a third-year communications major. Speaking on mini Monte’s behalf, Calleros confirmed the otter’s enthusiasm for the dance floor, “Yes! Yes, he does [dance] –put on a beat and he’ll get down on it.”
