This past Friday marked the 17th annual Founder’s Day Ball hosted by the Entertainment Committee (EC). Following a week of programming for Duck Days, the week concluded with the much-anticipated Founder’s Day Ball, where students had the opportunity to dress up and dance the night away. For context, the Founder’s Day Ball is a celebration commemorating the founding of the university on February 15, 1870. The Stute had the opportunity to speak with Gianmarco Costa, the Festivities Director of the Entertainment Committee, to learn more about the event.
Founder’s Day Ball was held on Friday, February 20, 2026, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Pier Sixty. Each ticket included entry to the event, bus transportation to the venue and back, a cocktail hour, dinner, dancing, and a special keepsake item. The agenda of the ball followed a cocktail hour, where students could enjoy small appetizers and drinks. After the mixer, the main doors opened, allowing everyone to take their seats. Dinner was served with opening remarks from members of the Office of Student Life. Following dinner service, the rest of the night consisted of dancing with music provided by a student, DJ Zain from Sigma Nu, enjoying desserts laid out buffet style, and taking memorable photos. The night concluded with students picking up commemorative drinkware. The overall theme for the event was ruby and rose gold, which was displayed through the table covers, floral arrangements, lighting of the venue, and more.
In terms of planning, most of the logistical decisions were made by the Office of Student Life, specifically Danielle Eisenberg and Stephanie Hios. The venue, which was different from the previous year, primarily to accommodate more attendees, was booked shortly after the Founder’s Day Ball 2025. The specific decisions on the theme and menu were made throughout the Fall 2025 semester. According to Costa, EC’s main contribution was designing the logo and promoting the event. The timeline for this started back in August 2025 and accelerated after the conclusion of Winter Wonderland at the end of 2025.
When asked about his favorite part of the event, Costa shared how he really enjoyed seeing the attendees’ first reaction as they walked into the venue. Seeing them stunned by the ambiance and taking pictures together felt really fulfilling for Costa. In addition to that, Costa defined his second favorite memory as the end of cocktail hour, which indicated that food was going to be served soon after. When asked about his overall thoughts on how the event went, he stated, “The event is always something that students across all class years look forward to attending, and it grows every year. I have attended the event since the 2024 edition, when it was held at the Liberty Science Center, and I can say that without a doubt, this year’s edition was by far the best in all aspects.”
