MIT holds its annual Winterfest festival
Kornbluth: “Winterfest is more than a holiday celebration.”
Members of the MIT community gathered at the Stata Center and Koch Institute on Dec. 12 to celebrate the annual Winterfest. Hundreds attended, with many sampling various treats and enjoying the holiday ambience.
Josh Marchant, a graduate student in Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology program, said in an interview with The Tech that he enjoyed the event.
“It’s been a great event. The food’s been enjoyable, and I was able to remind my wife to come, so we’ve been able to enjoy it,” Marchant stated. “Overall, it’s been a fun way to destress over the semester.”
Marchant further said that the Winterfest helped “kick off a transition to the holidays” and believed that the MIT community congregating at Stata was a “really big plus.” He added that it would be great if these events continued.
“It’s nice to sort of be on campus without feeling the stress of being on campus over a test or an assignment, and do something a little more fun and relaxing [instead].” Marchant said.
In an email to The Tech, MIT President Kornbluth said, “this was my first Winterfest, and I was delighted to be part of it.”
For Kornbluth, the Winterfest provides an “an opportunity to come together in the spirit of this season of light and goodwill, and a reminder to cherish our colleagues and friends.” She added, “It’s a wonderful MIT tradition to mark the end of the fall semester and kick off the winter season by gathering with colleagues and friends for a well-deserved break.”
Furthermore, Kornbluth said that “I’ve been working with my leadership team on larger issues about strengthening the fabric of our community, and Winterfest is a continuation of that effort.”
Kornbluth also highlighted the collective efforts of the Institute’s events team that planned the Winterfest event.
“I’m grateful to the Institute Events team for all the work and planning they put into creating it,” She wrote. “Events like this, where we can be together as a community, are always important, but they are especially meaningful in difficult times.”
Prior to assuming the presidency of MIT, Kornbluth served as Provost of Duke University. In comparison to MIT, Kornbluth wrote, “We had lovely winter celebrations at Duke, too, but it was less chilly and didn’t get dark as early as it does here.” Nevertheless, she said, “Winterfest is a great way to help create some more warmth and light.”