While the campus may seem barren on Thanksgiving Day, not everyone leaves town for the holiday.
For those students, faculty and staff who are in Tuscaloosa looking for a family-friendly food feast and a social outlet, UA has just the thing: Thanksgiving at Burke Dining.
“A few years ago I had several students mention that they would not be able to go home for Thanksgiving, and so I looked around to locate a homestyle meal for them, but there didn’t seem to be any central meal on campus,” said Dr. Barbara Jane Brickman, associate professor of media and gender studies in New College and the department of gender and race studies.
Brickman said that first year she shared information about a couple of group meals she knew about and sent along some homemade food just to help the students not feel homesick. After that, she decided to enlist faculty, staff, and housing and residential communities to hold a welcoming joint venture with the regular dining hall meal at Burke.
UA faculty and staff contribute homemade desserts, snacks and drinks and everyone meets in the living room at Burke as a welcoming, homey addition to the regular meal in the dining hall. It has become a place where students and their friends and family can gather, eat desserts and watch football.
“In joining with the SGA last year and continuing to work with HRC, we had an incredible increase in the numbers of students, friends and family join us at Burke. So, this year Bama Dining and Parent and Family Programs have stepped in to make the event so much more organized and special. Parents, faculty and staff are putting together a donated homemade dessert/food feast to be included alongside the meal at Burke, and the entire dining hall is being tailored to work more as a Thanksgiving space with a ‘living room’ side for traditional football watching and dessert trays.”
This year’s meal will be Thursday, Nov. 28, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Burke Dining Hall.
“Meal punches have been donated, so no student will be turned away from the meal. Faculty and staff are welcome, as are students’ family members and friends.” Dr. Barbara Brickman
Brickman also noted the past few years a large number of international students and their friends and family have joined the festivities.
“When I started this a few years ago, I kept hearing from students that they were unable to go home for a number of reasons (some financial, some personal), and I very much wanted them to feel welcomed and embraced on this one holiday where we are supposed to make room for everyone at our table. And last year proved that the need is certainly there,” said Brickman.