By Molly Miller · Contributing Writer
This past Saturday Grove City College’s Student Government Association hosted their biggest event of the year: the biennial Gala. After months of preparation the event finally arrived, and campus showed up to see what it had to offer.
While there was no real red carpet rolled out, the student body showed up dressed to the nines, nonetheless.
“Social Affairs plans and executes a lot of events throughout the semester, like Coffeehouses, but this year we planned the biannual Gala.” Emily Williams, the junior vice president of social affairs, explained. “My favorite part of all of this was truly working with my committee. Our different senators led tasks like decorations and food. I love working with this group of people. They all care so deeply and I have loved getting to know them throughout this process.”
The event boasted numerous different activities and engagements spread between both the Student Union and SHAL atrium. The theme, “Mid the Pines,” filled both locations with hundreds of ethereal vines and florals, string lights, candles and other captivating decorations, transforming campus into an enchanted wood.
The executive vice president of academic affairs, Rebekah Jones, described the long process of setup for this event. “My favorite part was watching SAC transform throughout the day. We started setting up at 8 a.m. and by evening it was a completely new space!”
It wasn’t a process devoid of trials. Jones laughed over one memorable moment: “We put all of the tables and chairs (in SAC) in the commuter lounge … but the elevator was broken so we had to carry them all up the stairs … that was a crazy way to start the day.”
For the first 2 hours of the event, the Student Union housed check-in and swing dancing, filling the room with the swish of dresses and suits, while SHAL atrium hosted some beautiful treats, mocktails and hors-d’oeuvres to accompany a professor meet and mingle. It also had two photo locations: one with a beautiful backdrop and a mirror for selfies, and upstairs a more professional photo booth where students could receive printed copies of their photo strips.
A classroom within SHAL also boasted exciting rounds of bingo hosted by none other than Timothy Heiser and John Hatzis.
The Alma Mater inspired theme had to have a movie to both accompany and explain it, so SGA selected “Beauty and the Beast” which played in the Sticht lecture hall for those attendees needing a break from dancing or a bit of childhood nostalgia.
The second half of the event transitioned the Student Union into a location for more traditional party dancing and the room was soon full of excitedly screamed lyrics and uncontained joy.
Williams remembers a specific moment that reassured her that all the work had been worth it. “Around 10:30 p.m., I was sitting at the ticket table (and I was quite tired) and I just saw people dancing and laughing.”
“When I went over to HAL, people were chatting, playing bingo, and just truly enjoying where they were. This is probably when I realized that this event was a success … In life, especially amidst the tests and assignments, I feel like it is so easy to get caught up in the busyness. At Gala, I saw people just enjoying the moment and being able to be with one another,” she said.
The five-hour-long event concluded with confetti cannons launched by members of SGA from the upper levels of the student union.
All that said, Gala 2026 offered a beautiful evening for Grove City College that will certainly be remembered for years to come!
