Courtesy of Paulina Morales

If you were to look upon Moulton Main Lounge on Valentine’s Day, you’d have seen a room overflowing with many things: joy, members of the senior class and—most importantly to many attendees—alcohol. The enjoyment of community and refreshments found in Moulton on Wednesday night was a part of the first annual Senior Soiree, marking the beginning of a slate of events catered toward seniors as commencement nears.

The event, which featured free food and two drinks per senior, was planned by the Senior Class Engagement Committee (SCEC), a subdivision of the Office of Development and Alumni Relations. The SCEC, composed of several student representatives or “lead agents,” works to foster a sense of community among seniors.

“It’s really important for our class to get to know one another and reinforce bonds of friendship and community that we’ve already tried to establish in various ways,” senior class lead agent Julia Kay Fiori ’24 said. “We’re a unique class in that, because of the pandemic, we’ve been through a sort of hurricane of different events at Bowdoin that have shaped our experiences.”

For Kay Fiori, events like the soiree are important to cultivate a sense of belonging to Bowdoin among senior classmates in their last months before departing campus and becoming alumni. Kay Fiori’s parents met through the alumni network—something she and other lead agents believe strongly in.

“This Bowdoin community is so strong, and for me, it’s important to continue that,” Kay Fiori said.

Although hosted on Bowdoin OneDay—the College’s annual day of giving—the event was less about getting seniors to donate and more about getting them to engage with people they haven’t met before, Kay Fiori said.

“It doesn’t matter if you donate, it’s more about engagement. What matters most is not necessarily if you’re able to give five bucks, what matters more is being together—in whatever way that looks for you,” she said.

Executive Director of Annual Giving Christi Lumiere echoed these sentiments. For Lumiere, the event was about creating awareness of the alumni network for seniors heading out of the College soon.

“Staff and faculty all change over the years; the thing that doesn’t change is alumni. They’re always a part of this place,” Lumiere said. “You guys are the stewards of this community.”

The soiree drew notable attendees from across campus, including President Safa Zaki and the College’s very own polar bear mascot.

“It’s nice to see everyone having fun,” Zaki said.

Reactions from the seniors attending the event were largely positive. Many people commented on the sense of community they felt. Adi Pall-Pareek ’24, who attended the event with his roommates, was pleased.

“I came here to dress up and take pictures with my friends. I’d say that’s been achieved,” Pall-Pareek said.

Following this event, the SCEC is planning to host a number of community-focused events targeted towards the Class of 2024 in the coming months.