Graduating seniors were celebrated at a dinner held in their honor by the alumni department on Friday, December 11, recognizing their achievement and welcoming them to the alumni association.

Chase Gymnasium was transformed into a lovely Christmas setting for the evening, and the graduates and their guests were treated to special holiday selections sung by the Vocal Jazz Ensemble before enjoying a delicious meal of sweet potato encrusted chicken and pesto gnocchi. Jesse Thomas, president of the alumni executive board, officially welcomed the seniors by inducting them into the alumni association.

The winter senior dinner is also historically the time when the alumni association awards the Faculty Excellence Award, based on student evaluations from the prior year. This year’s award recipient was Dr. Aaron Kleist, associate professor and chair of the English department, challenged the students to consider what their heart is set upon in a talk titled “The Quest for the Holy Grail.” The significance of the message was enhanced by an engagingly entertaining presentation that culminated in a parody of the U2 song “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.”

President Barry H. Corey closed the evening with his personal congratulations to the graduates.