University celebrates founding with Ball

Over 550 members of the Hopkins community gathered at the Engineers Club on Friday to attend the second annual Commemoration Ball, which was held to celebrate the University’s founding.

Hosted in conjunction by the Hopkins Parent Fund, Student Life, the Johns Hopkins Alumni Association and the Student Government Association (SGA), the event was open to all students, alumni and staff.

“With the help of many people, we brought the old tradition back to campus last year. It had not occurred in this form before; we recreated the idea of a Commemoration Ball and what would be successful at Hopkins for today’s students and alumni,” Commemoration Ball Chair and SGA Executive Vice President Kyra Toomre wrote in an email to The News-Letter.

Junior Class Senator Neha Prasad explained that SGA members played a role in bringing the event together.

“Prior to the event, SGA passed a bill that provided funding that allowed for the free transportation as well as many other fun features,” Prasad said. “At the venue we all worked together to decorate the venue for the occasion, blowing up countless numbers of balloons and hanging up Hopkins banners that were over 60 years old.”

SGA representatives were generally pleased with the large presence from the student body.

“It definitely brought together a group of Hopkins students and alums who otherwise wouldn’t be brought together on a daily basis, which I thought made the event all the more successful,” SGA Junior Class Senator Jason Plush said.

Toomre agreed and spoke to the fact that the event provided a unique opportunity for students to get off campus.

“I think the ball is a great chance for members throughout the Johns Hopkins community, be it undergraduates, graduates, administrators or alumni, to come together and celebrate the University we are all so lucky to be part of. I love how the ball brings people who do not normally interact into one space for a common purpose. Furthermore, I believe many members of the community not in Greek life enjoy it because it is a rare opportunity to have a formal event off campus,” Toomre wrote in an email to The News-Letter. 

Plush also noted that the presence of non-Greek affiliates was particularly strong.

Sophomore Ashleigh Samlut agreed that the Ball gave her the chance to reunite with old friends.

“The best part [of Commemoration Ball] was going as a complete group with everyone from my Cuba Intersession trip and taking part in this Hopkins tradition with them,” Samlut said.

Representatives from the Alumni Association and Student Affairs, who were present at the event, discussed the significance of the University’s commemoration.

“What was really cool about the night was that both the head of the Alumni Association and Vice Provost Shollenberger spoke about why the event was so important to them and the significance of it. I thought it was a very successful way of commemorating the founding of the University,” Plush said.

The official anniversary of the school’s founding is on Feb. 22, which signifies the date Daniel Coit Gilman, the University’s first President, was sworn in. Although Commemoration Ball was once an annual affair that a large portion of the campus took part in, it has died out as one of the University’s traditions. Prior to the event’s revival last February, a Commemoration Ball had not been held since 2001.

The invitation requested that attendees dress in blue or black semi-formal attire. According to Plush, attendees were enthusiastic regarding this aspect of the event. Individual tickets were sold at $15 and couples tickets were $25. The revenue from the tickets covered the cost of food and transportation to and from the venue in Mount Vernon.

Plush said he hopes that Commemoration Ball will eventually grow to be as large an event as it once was. He emphasized the value of continuing traditions like this one on the Hopkins campus.

“One of the things that I think Hopkins is trying to work on improving for the future is the development or the bringing back of old traditions. I think that’s an area that students would love to continue to see improve on campus. Obviously we have Spring Fair and we have Homecoming Weekend and big rivalry days in the spring for lacrosse, but outside of that, the number of traditions on campus isn’t exactly the best; they could continue to be improved,” Plush said.

“I think that as Commemoration Ball continues to be successful with each consecutive year, it’s an event that has the potential to gain momentum and become a steadfast tradition for the Hopkins community.”

Toomre agreed, stating that she hopes the Ball will continue to grow in the coming years.

The event included hors d’oeuvres, desserts, a cash bar for those 21 and over, a photo booth and a dance floor. The Senior Class Gift Committee also offered seniors the option to pledge money and become official donors to the University.

“The Commemoration Ball honors the University’s establishment and tradition. Moreover, it celebrates the legacy that is Hopkins, and our legacy is created by the students that attend this school,” Senior Class Gift Committee member Will DeGouveia said. “The Senior Class Gift Committee’s presence at the ball hoped to invite current seniors to begin building that legacy of alumni engagement and philanthropic giving by making their first donation of $20.15 to Hopkins to commemorate our graduation year. We set up a private ‘Seniors Only’ room and handed out Chipotle gift cards to all current donors at the event in hopes of getting more seniors excited about celebrating this school.”

Many students viewed the event as a success.

“I really enjoyed Commemoration Ball. It was a great opportunity to get off campus. The venue was beautiful and the food was delicious,” freshman Alessandra Golden said. “I hope the event continues to grow as I would definitely love to go again.”