Last Saturday marked RPI’s first annual “18 on ’86” Winter Carnival. A number of events were held to provide a fun atmosphere for students amidst the demands of the school year. The carnival was sponsored by the Office of the President and members of the Cabinet.
The event kicked off at 1 pm with a performance from new a cappella group Duly Noted and a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. President of the Union Rob Odell ’09 and Grand Marshal Kara Chesal ’09 welcomed everyone to the day’s festivities, saying it was a great chance to get out of their rooms and just have some fun. Chesal remarked, “We’re here to celebrate our love for RPI.”
Following Chesal, President Shirley Ann Jackson introduced the Board of Trustees member Janet Rutledge ’83 at the welcoming ceremony. Having been an undergrad at RPI, Rutledge expressed her positive sentiments about the event, stating that it was good for students to “take time out for some fun” in light of the difficulty of the workload at RPI.
Jackson gave a little history on past events that the Institute had held similar to the carnival. According to Jackson, this carnival was the revival of a tradition started in 1949, when the junior class held a winter festival. The Winter Carnival idea was again started in 1978 and continued through 1985, but was again lost between then and now.
Jackson invited everyone to visit the various events and grab some free food. She concluded her speech by advising students that “the secret of life is to enjoy it.”
Chesal said, “I was hoping there would be more students at the opening, but there was good turnout throughout the day.”
Some of the ongoing events at the carnival were an ice-skating rink, human bowling, a wrecking ball inflatable, and horse-drawn carriage rides around the ’86 Field. There were also various carnival games hosted by RPI clubs and organizations, and food provided by Sodexo and Terra Café. In the ice-carving demonstration, Marshall’s Ice Carvings created an ice sculpture of Puckman.
Students had mixed feelings about the carnival. One student stated that he wished there was more to do and that the weather didn’t lend itself to the event. Chesal said, “It was unfortunate that the ground was so soggy, but overall I heard very positive feedback from those who attended.”
Odell commented that the carnival gave everyone a chance to get out of their rooms and hang out outside during a season when everyone typically stays in. “The doughnuts were awesome too!” he said.
“In the future, greater student involvement in the planning process will make the event even better,” according to Chesal. She also wished to thank everyone who helped this year, stating, “We have a great start on reviving an old tradition.”
