Sophia Mariani ‘26 and Matt Nickerson ‘24
Features Editor and Chief Features Editor
The senior class had the chance to showcase their best formal attire on November 17 for their much anticipated senior ball. They joined together for a night of dancing, fun and class bonding at the DCU Center. The senior ball is a chance to celebrate students’ collegiate accomplishments over the past 3.5 years and one of the last hurrahs for the entire class to be united in one space before graduation. It is an exciting night and a well-deserved celebration for the class, especially before the hustle of final exams.
A few hours prior to the event, crowds of students dressed in gowns and suits, gathered to take pictures at- you guessed it- the Fenwick and Dinand steps. Seniors rushed with excitement to finish up their academic responsibilities for the day with enough time to get themselves ready and make it to photographs before sunset. After taking pictures and uniting with friends, students were shuttled together in waves to the venue. When they arrived, they were met with a set up for cocktail hour followed by a night of dancing and dinner in the ballroom.
Considering the class of 2024 did not get their high school senior year prom due to the pandemic, the hype behind the ball was heightened. Some seniors even took the opportunity to dust off their prom gowns from 2020 and showcase them for this special event. It was definitely a full circle moment for the group of students to be able to dress up for a dance again.
Seniors had a blast together on the dance floor and exploring all of the setup that was provided by the DCU center- including the ice cream bar that ended the night. Senior Kerry McDermott shared, “It was fun to see all of us dressed up because we had never seen each other in formal gowns before.” The range of gowns and suits varied, and it was very intriguing to watch as each senior was able to show off their style. McDermott also shared, “It was really fun to be out on the dance floor with everyone, especially towards the end when the music picked up.” The experience will be memorable for the class of 2024, as they enter their final semester and cherish every last moment spent on the Hill.
The 2024 SGA Class Officers also commented on the preparation and execution of the ball. President Kyle McCabe states, “A few weekend’s back we held the Senior Ball, and us members of the class council were so extremely proud of the event! Planning for this event started all the way back in September, where we came together each week to plan and create an experience that our Senior class would never forget. We started with the things we knew we needed – food, decorations, and fun activities! We decided to switch things up this year and do a buffet style to give people more options for what they want to eat. We chose everything from what types of food to how many we needed. We picked out the different activities, such as the photo booth, to give people something fun to do with their friends away from the dance floor. Something really cool that we also did was create a slideshow of a collection of pictures submitted by various members of the class that we played on a TV outside the main room. We worked together to create a ticket price that would be as low as possible, while not taking away from the amazing experience we wanted the seniors to have. Ticket sales went amazing, and seeing everything come to fruition the night of the ball was truly rewarding for each and everyone of us on the Senior Class Council.”
Vice-President Alessia Caira also commented, “It was so fun planning Senior Ball; I’m really happy with how everything went. My past three years on class council have been great but this was the first year where it felt like I was planning something specific for our grade that we all actually got to enjoy. It was kinda like planning a wedding— we were looking at food menus, wristband colors, calculating ticket prices, and that sort of thing. We were really set on having an event that was inclusive of everyone and could bring our class together into one space. Kyle and I actually worked the coat check at the Class of 2023 senior ball so we could get some inspiration and ideas for our own ball this year. We used some of their ideas but also thought to add our personalized Senior slideshow with our peers’ memories from college, as well as games like Jenga or Connect 4 for anyone who may not enjoy the cocktail hour or dancing. Even though Senior Ball just happened, we are already underway with our plans for Senior week which occurs before Commencement in the spring!”
The Class of 2024 had a rough start with COVID-19 taking away their freshman fall on the Hill, but it is obvious everyone is working to make their senior year the best yet.
Group Photo 2024 Senior Ball Pictures –Masonry Gallery by Shanil Perez Lantigua ’24
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