“It is so important to have a place where we can all gather, be together and share thanks for this community we call home,” Falvo said. “Eckerd is a truly special place with special people. These past few months have reiterated how blessed we are that the hurricanes spared our campus and we could all come together again.”
Celeste “Nana” Paultre, a senior sociology student from Knoxville, Tennessee, decided to stay in St. Petersburg for the holiday to avoid a costly flight or 10-hour drive for a short break, she said. She had stayed on campus for Thanksgiving before, but this was her first time to attend the lunch.
Of the array of food selections, Nana most enjoyed the mashed potatoes and gravy, as well as the desserts, such as pumpkin chai cupcakes.
Isabella Trais, a junior marine science and environmental studies student from Mount Prospect, Illinois, had also never attended this event before.
“I always love Thanksgiving,” she said, “because it is a celebration of gratitude, a way of unifying people—and the food is good too.”
Isabella felt busy with coursework, so with just one week of classes post-Thanksgiving, she had decided to stay in town. She described spending Thanksgiving on campus as welcoming—as it “brings home to Eckerd.”