UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — There’s still time to purchase tickets for the EMS Gala, the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences’ (EMS) formal event for students, faculty and staff.
The event, this year themed “A Night Around the World,” features a buffet, trivia contest, prize raffle and dancing. It takes place at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel. Attendance is capped at 250.
EMS Student Council, the sponsors of the event, say it has expanded to include an educational component aimed at promoting cultures.
Jenna Hakun, a senior majoring in energy engineering and president of the EMS’ Student Council, said each table will represent a different country. Also the trivia contest will have a fun component.
“It’ll be a battle of the departments,” Hakun said.
Raffle prizes include EMS merchandise, an EMS Benefiting THON basket and two grand prizes organizers are keeping secret. At least a dozen prizes are being awarded.
Hakun said the event is unique at Penn State because it brings members of the college together for a gathering outside of the classroom. Like the annual breakfast with the dean and faculty-student dinners, it’s another chance to build on the close-knit feel of the college.
“One thing that separates the College of EMS is that we have such a family feel,” Hakun said. “As students we feel like we are family but also as a college we have that same sense of unity. Having faculty and staff there with students only continues that legacy of being the small, friendly college that we are.”
Tickets, which are $20 for students and $25 for faculty and staff, can be purchased in the Ryan Family Student Center on the ground floor of the Deike Building on the University Park campus from 9 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Jan. 16.