Grad students drink, mingle at 'Mardi Grad Blowout' party

A snowstorm did not hinder the nearly 600 graduate students who gathered at the Gold Standard Friday evening for the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly's Mardi Grad Blowout. But the weather did affect Provost Stanley Chodorow and Vice Provost for Graduate Education Janice Madden, who had promised to attend the happy hour. GAPSA members were notified in advance that the two had canceled but planned to "reschedule as soon as possible." Groups of graduate students ate, drank, chatted, laughed and danced amid $400 worth of decorations which brightened the restaurant. GAPSA Chairperson and second-year Wharton graduate student Victor Prince said he felt the event was a huge success. "I think we would have had 700-plus people without the snow," Prince said. According to Prince, Friday's happy hour was the first one with a theme. A series of themed happy hours is expected to follow. GAPSA also extended the blowout an hour longer than the regular weekly events. Happy hours are designed to allow graduate students a chance to meet people from the 12 graduate schools, Prince said. To encourage interaction, free tickets to an upcoming Philadelphia 76ers-Chicago Bulls basketball game were awarded to the first eight graduate students who collected 50 strands of beads from other students. "In order to get beads, you have to go up to the people wearing lots of beads and introduce yourselves to them," Prince announced to the gathering of graduate students. Additional games and music were played throughout the event. The crowd was immensely pleased with the Mardi Grad happy hour. "This one is good and the food is a lot better," said fifth-year English graduate student Rhonda Frederick, who won a pair of tickets to the Sixers-Bulls game. And Hooman Yaghoobzadeh, a second-year Medical student, described the food and atmosphere as "spicy delicious." Janice Brown, a second-year Japanese Studies graduate student, said the setup was conducive to mingling. But some students had their minds on other things. "I wish I was at a Mardi Gras party in New Orleans and not in a snowstorm in Philly," first-year Annenberg graduate student Jessica Davis said. Many graduate students viewed the happy hour as an opportunity to socialize and meet students outside of their schools. "It's really great that the University does this because there's no other way graduate students can get together," said Craig Appelbaum, a second-year Law student. And first-year Wharton graduate student and president of the Wharton Cigar Club Scott Berniker said he agreed. "It's a great opportunity for people to unwind after a long week and meet new people," he said. "Where else can I discuss anthropology, world politics, and Van Gogh at the same time?" In light of the turnout, Prince emphasized the need for the administration to designate a place particularly for graduate students to socialize on a regular basis. "Graduate students deserve a free space on campus for the money they currently spend," he said. Graduate happy hours are held every other week and are free to all Penn graduate students.