Juniors who missed President Richard Brodhead's Homecoming Ball last semester because they were studying abroad will finally be able to party with Brodhead tonight.
The Junior Class Council and the Alumni Association are hosting the second annual Welcome Back to Duke party in order to recognize juniors returning from abroad and give them an opportunity to mingle with those who stayed in Durham. The event will take place tonight from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Although the party debuted last year, junior Hasnain Zaidi, president of the Junior Class Council, said he hopes the attendance will increase from the approximately 100 students in attendance last year. He said last year's party was held in mid-February, which was too late in the semester to serve its purpose as a welcome-back event.
Though Zaidi said he certainly wants the event to be well attended, he added that he wants the essence of it to stay the same as last year's.
"It's the difference between a seminar and an Econ 55 class-we don't want people to get lost in the masses," he said.
There will also be a slide show of pictures from Duke in Durham, and Duke in "you fill in the blank with the city, country or planet" that Zaidi said he hopes will have an impact on the Class of 2008.
"A lot of times the challenge with Duke's study abroad program is that it's an isolated event in these students' lives," Zaidi said. "It is important to incorporate this visit abroad into the rest of your life."
Kimberly Hanauer, Trinity '02 and director of Young Alumni and Student Programs, said she hopes the event will draw a lot of students and allow them to interact with their fellow classmates.
Students will also have the opportunity to meet the University director of alumni affairs and speak with representatives from the study abroad office about their trips.
Tina Hoang, vice president of the Junior Class Council, said she hopes this party will be a venue for students to enjoy both interacting with old friends and meeting new people.
"I made such a tight group of friends staying at Duke last semester, but I think it will be a good social atmosphere to see everyone again," junior Boyu Hu said.
Some students who went abroad said they feel differently.
"I feel like a lot of things have changed and it's hard to get back on track," junior Tina Liang said. "It is good to be back on an actual campus and I can't wait to see what other people did and their experiences abroad."
But Brandon Fuqua, a junior who recently returned from Madrid, said his life slipped back easily into his regular pattern.
Fuqua said that if he chooses to attend, this party will be just another chance to eat free hors d'oeuvres and do a jig with Brodhead.
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