By Brittany Auger, Staff Writer

This year’s theme was “Holidays Around the World,” and students groups including Greek Life, Student Government, Office of Student Commuters and Danceworks paired together to create the one-of-a-kind interactive buildings that showcased the holiday season from the country they were representing.

The groups had about a week to complete their structures before they would be showcased to the community. “We all worked together to get these done,” said junior Alyssa Coco, a member of the Alpha Theta Beta sorority.  “Along with Alpha Phi and Tau Epsilon Phi there were always at least two or three people here working on our building. People would just come by before or after class, and help out for as long as they could,” Coco said. 

What many University students may not know is that there is much more to the “Hofstra Celebrates the Holidays” event, than simply decorating the Student Center cafeteria. Once the buildings were completed on Tuesday, members of the Boys and Girls Clubs were brought to the University to walk through the buildings.  Additionally, each building had an interactive game or activity for which children could participate.

“Students can really see they are making a difference in the community through this event,” said Kim Rhyan, assistant director of Student Leadership and Activities who oversees the event. She also said that this year, all of the supplies used to build the structures would be donated back to Habitat for Humanity where it will be used to help those in need. 

This year a new student group, “Hofstra for the Homeless,” also got involved in the event by bringing in kids from the community to walk through the buildings yesterday.  “They’re a new group on campus that just got started this year, but they are all very passionate about what they do and I think they have great potential,” Rhyan said.

The winners of the “Hofstra Celebrates the Holidays” event were announced on Wednesday, with first place going to Delta Gamma and Alpha Kappa Psi, for their Japanese-themed building. Second place was awarded to the trio of Alpha Phi, Alpha Theta Beta and Tou Epsilon Phi for their Middle Eastern themed set-up. Third place went to Phi Epsilon and Delta Chi for their German themed building. 

After the win, Alpha Kappa Psi member Nick Schweers said, “We knew after winning homecoming with Delta Gamma that we wanted to work with them again. It feels great to come in first place because it shows that all the time and effort that we put into this really paid off. It’s also a great way to give back to the community of Hempstead.”

“Holidays Around the World,” featured this Japanese-themed building, designed by Delta Gamma and Alpha Kappa Psi. (Lisa DiCarlucci/The Chronicle)