Last Friday, February 27, was the first Stute X SGA Alumni Gala from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m in the University Center Complex (UCC) Techflex. The Stute has been reporting Stevens’ history since 1904, but has never received the opportunity to write about their own.
Stories from the past several decades were shared and laughed over. A group of people, separated by generations but joined by shared love for the newspaper and the Student Government Association (SGA), were able to gather together. There were current staff members and past Editors-in-Chief, Managing Editors, Layout Editors, writers, and photographers.
The event began with a cocktail hour in the pre-event space in the UCC from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Guests were greeted by Jiya Jaisinghani, The Stute’s Editor-in-Chief (EIC) and ¾ Biomedical Engineering major, Tianna Spitz, The Stute’s Managing Editor and ¾ Science Communication major, and Samuel Strassburger, the SGA’s Vice President of Operations and ¾ Mechanical Engineering major. Upon their arrival, they were checked in, handed a custom-made tote bag, and a nametag. The tote bag sported a custom design hand-drawn by Itai Geller, The Stute’s Opinion Editor, and 4/4 Biomedical Engineering major. Within the gifted tote bag was a newsletter of Stute and SGA updates in a front-page newspaper format, an SGA waterbottle and fidget spinner, and a Stute sticker.
During cocktail hour, the guests mingled around the emerald green and gold decor, while picking at the assortment of appetizers catered from Alessio’s Cafe. Around 7:15 p.m., Jaisinghani opened the doors to allow guests to enter the event space to be seated. The Tech Flex Center was decorated with a green and gold theme, and guests were greeted with an itinerary of speeches as they were seated.
At this event, speeches were delivered by Jiya Jaisinghani, Tianna Spitz, Kenneth Nilsen, Dean of Students, and Samuel Strassburger. Within her speech, Jaisinghani remarked, “the point of the gala was to not only celebrate [the alumni] but also to learn from them.”
While the current figureheads of these organizations gave speeches, those of the past reflected on their time in the organization: the joy, the struggle, the camaraderie, and the laughter. Among the 90 people in attendance sat former EIC, Gerald T. Crispin, and former Managing Editor, Edward Eichhorn, both graduates of ‘69, and Chris Candreva, graduate of ‘91 and former Managing Editor, News Editor, and Friday Observer. The collection of former leadership shared stories of their student life experiences, one of them being that there was once a bar in what is now the Howe Center. Candreva fondly recalls Wednesday afternoons as “it was more than just work, it was a social time, it was a group, it was camaraderie, it was just a time to be together.” People, long-graduated, connected with current undergraduates over the chaos of the infamous layout Wednesdays — an unmatched chaos that has been felt through generations.
Among the more recent alumni were Isabella Ziv ‘25, Sanjana Madhu ‘23, and Maryia Spirydonava ‘20. In conversation, they all bonded over the common tie of being EIC and the love they share for The Stute. Spirydonava said, “It’s so nice to see how The Stute has grown. We didn’t have nearly this many editor positions, such as layout; everyone did it together,” accentuating the growth and change that can happen in just a couple of years. She also noted, “that one of the things [she] loved the most, the people, haven’t changed.” This is something that many throughout the organization have felt. Not only do they feel drawn together by a shared directive, but also by shared laughter.
Throughout the gala, alumni and students were encouraged to take photos by the newspaper wall that had a border of balloons. Brady Sansotta, Layout Assistant and 2/4 Business and Technology Major, and Isabelle Villanueva, Head Photographer and 4/4 Computer Science Major, were gathering groups of past e-boards, SGA alumni, and students to take pictures at the newspaper wall. Alumni were also encouraged to sign a poster board with a message for the current Stute staff, so that it may be hung in Tthe Stute Office once the gala concluded.
By 8 p.m., dinner was announced, and alumni and students alike stood together in line to grab an assortment of food from Karma Kafe, Robongi, and Alessio’s Cafe. There was also Paris Baguette for desserts.
The Tech Flex Center was filled with the sounds of conversation, laughter, and everyone enjoying a good meal. Members of The Stute and SGA alike came together to celebrate those who came before in an exciting and new way. Jaisinghani hopes for this to become an annual event, to continuously celebrate the alumni community.
