As students settle into their A-Term routines, WPI’s Residence Hall Council (RHC) is giving them something a little more exciting to look forward to than homework.
On Friday, Oct. 4, at 7pm, a Suitcase Semiformal will be held in Alden Hall. Students need only purchase a $5 ticket from a Hall Council member to attend. The main draw of the semiformal is the chance to win the raffle grand prize at the end of the night.
The stakes are high this year. One lucky winner and a guest will leave for a trip to Boston, where they will spend two nights at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel. They will be given a $250 Visa card to cover their expenses, and on Saturday night, they will enjoy a Two Door Cinema Club concert in Boston’s Club Royale.
The attendance ticket automatically enters you into the raffle, but if students want to increase their chances of winning they can purchase additional tickets for $3 at the door with cash or credit.
The annual semiformal, now in its seventh year, earns its unique name from the packed suitcases attendees are urged to bring along. A limousine will take the raffle winner and guest to Boston straight from the dance, and return them to WPI on the morning of October 6.
While students aren’t required to bring their luggage, those who do will leave their suitcases in the safe hands of the Residence Hall Council. They’ll then head inside where free food and drinks will be available, and a photographer will be on hand to take memorable snaps of the night. WPI’s very own DJ Guillermo Rene Rivera will emcee the event and take song suggestions via text message. The dance will feature a live Twitter feed, and those who tweet using the hashtag #suitcasesemi will find their faces and tweets up on the big screen in Alden.
Prizes will be raffled off throughout the night, leading up to the Boston trip. Smaller giveaways include gift cards, movies, and WPI apparel. Residence Hall director of programming Thomas Buonomano hints that there may be “a raffle that gets you the first hit at a piñata suspended from the ceiling.”
As for the dress code, it’s stated right in the name of the event. Prom dresses are too fancy, but jeans aren’t elegant enough. A happy medium is best, but not strictly enforced, notes Buonomano. When picking out an outfit, just remember to favor greens and blues, since the theme of the dance this year is “Ocean.” The semiformal event page warns attendees to “keep an eye out for some ocean-themed surprises.”
All the proceeds from the dance will go back into the RHC budget.
“This will allow them to do bigger and better programs within the residence halls on their own,” says Buonomano.
As of September 29, the Residence Hall Council already had sold 185 tickets. Buonomano is expecting about 300 attendees this year, an increase from last year’s turnout, which he estimates at 250 students.
TICKETS
To purchase tickets, visit the RHC table in the Campus Center from 12 to 2pm on October 2, 3, and 4.
