Bay University hosted its first of four annual dances behind the library on Friday, Oct. 21. Students and alumni attended the Halloween-themed celebration dressed in costumes and ready to party. 

Shannon Couch’s Culinary Arts and Nutrition class provided snacks and treats, and Burlingame students from the Bay University club attended the dance to mingle and create a bridge between the two schools. 

During the dance, students chatted with each other, made bracelets and lived it up on the dance floor. 

Bay University director Jenna Smith was there to watch all her hard work unfold. Throughout the night, she walked around the quad, seeing all her old and current students sharing laughs, hugs and dance moves. 

“[Seeing them all together] is the best thing in the world. So we got kids, and a lot of my old students who came back,” Smith said. “Oh, I’m so happy. It’s so much fun when all these guys get together.”

The reunion was an opportunity for both celebration and mentorship: alumni were able to tell current Bay University students about their lives, providing younger students with a sense of motivation and a role model.

Couch’s culinary students walked through the crowd with trays filled with chocolate and candied goods, Couch’s culinary students provided an array of desserts that were greatly appreciated by everyone. 

“Personally, I made the popcorn balls, and they were very delicious and a big hit. But I’d say a lot of the people here really enjoyed the cupcakes,” culinary student and senior Spencer Dobos said. 

Senior Natalie Sullivan Wu, president of the Bay University club, saw the dance as an opportunity to start forming connections between Burlingame and Bay University students.

“Our goal is to help them transition socially into that environment, or kind of transition into the BHS environment a little more by doing activities or just going to their dances,” Sullivan Wu said. 

Sullivan Wu hopes to allow her club to stay involved in the lives of many Bay University students and ensure that they also feel welcomed and a part of Burlingame. 

“I think the importance of it is really just building a big community — community built between differences and similarities.” Sullivan Wu said. “And I think it’s just important to really branch out and meet people that you wouldn’t have met before.”

This dance kicked off a great year for Bay University, and the program cannot wait to see what the rest of the year has to offer. 

“[The dances are] like having a reunion four times a year, so I think that they’re super important for our [students]. And it’s important for us; we have the students all day every day for four years,” Smith said. “They’re family.”