Quinnipiac’s Student Philanthropy Council hosted its second annual Winter Fest in the Piazza of the Carl Hansen Student Center on the Mount Carmel Campus Wednesday evening. Students of all majors were able to fix a cup of hot chocolate, design and customize tote bags and mingle with peers.
The SPC promotes giving back to the university and finding creative ways for students to engage outside of the classroom. Its contributions include fundraising around Quinnipiac, event planning and connecting the student body with Development and Alumni Affairs.
“I was always looking for something a little bit different than everything else, and this was a new club my sophomore year,” SPC member and junior occupational therapy major Ashley Sanderson said. “I thought it was a good opportunity to watch something grow over time. I had liked being a part of philanthropy in high school, and this is exactly what I was looking for.”
The SPC had an assortment of different-colored acrylic paints and brushes next to plain, medium-sized tote bags for students to decorate. The check-in table also had free light blue phone wallets with the SPC’s logo.
“I got (the Winter Fest event notice) in my email, and then I also saw a poster,” senior graphic design major Tolu Peters said. “I just wanted to get some hot chocolate, because my mom said to drink warm liquids and stay at home. And I also like making my own tote bags. I have a bunch of them.”
Winter Fest’s make-your-own hot chocolate bar offered candy toppings, classic marshmallows and whipped cream, as well as cookies and brownies to snack on throughout the night.
“I was just kind of looking to get out and do something this afternoon,” first-year history major Trevor Mumm said. “I saw the email and thought, this would be a fun thing to do. Hang out, get some hot chocolate, just fill the afternoon for a little bit.”
After a week of winter weather in Hamden, some attendees felt the event was the perfect way to cozy up inside and still see new faces.
“We were sitting in the Piazza this morning, and we kept getting emails about (Winter Fest),” first-year history major Emma Roach said of her and her friend, Mumm. “Then just looking into more about, like, what the (SPC) does, and it’s really cool. I didn’t know we had like, a student (organization) on campus that focused on that kind of stuff.”
To see the SPC’s upcoming events, head to qu.edu or check out @qu.spc on Instagram.
