‘Give thanks, get pie’
BC Student Affairs brought a slice or two of happiness to students’ Friendsgiving celebrations, November 14-17, by offering free apple and pumpkin pies and tote bags with handouts from the C21 Center and Campus Ministry to students to encourage conversation and reflection on “faith, gratitude, connection, and what makes BC feel like home.”
Called Give Thanks, Get Pie, the program, which was conceived by AVP for Student Engagement and Formation Colleen Dallavalle, sent freshly baked pies on Friday courtesy of BC Dining Services to students in dorm rooms or meeting spaces across campus in an effort to promote meaningful conversations on gratitude—a central theme of Ignatian spirituality.
It was based on the successful Debate Night initiative that Dallavalle launched in 2024 to encourage students with differing political viewpoints to watch the debates together while eating pizza supplied by Student Affairs.
“Students want to have values-based conversations but often do not know how to do so outside of the classroom,” said Dallavalle. “These initiatives reflect our desire to give them the tools to engage in these conversations within their own spaces.”
Students who respond to the post-reflection survey are entered into a raffle to win a Yeti cooler with a sleek BC design created by BC students in the Hatchery at 245 Beacon Street.
“We hoped students would avail themselves of this opportunity to carry BC’s mission beyond the classroom and into their everyday lives,” said Dallavalle. “We are pleased that it was a success. “