The annual departmental Unity Ball is a time for members of the extended GMBA community to get together – current, former, and future students gathered for a shining night of food and festivity! This year’s event, International Jet-Set, invited attendees to dress to the nines and proudly declare their pride and diversity within the program.
As members of the GMBA family entered the reception area for Lawry’s The Prime Rib, they were greeted by smiling faces and cold cocktails, made with especial thanks to Amway, which sponsored the event with servings of XS Energy Cocktail. Each attendee received a handful of raffle tickets at the door to play blackjack with or for use in trying to win one of the numerous raffle prizes available later in the night.
The high ceilings of Lawry’s bounced laughter and music back and forth. Once people had found their seats, the evening was officially ready to begin. Everyone received a Community Bingo Card, and attendees were off like a flash, trying to find individuals in the room who shared their love of the color lavender or of Hawaiian pizza, who had served in the military, or who had grown up with a different mother tongue. Anyone who managed a bingo received raffle tickets, and a few luck players achieved blackouts, filling every square on the card!
But that wasn’t the end of the fun and games. As we all finally sat down with salads and appetizers, a few courageous folks volunteered to be part of two different 4-person flip cup teams and test their prowess against one another. Two tables were set up, each with four cups and the imperative to carefully but quickly flip each cup using only one hand and the edge of the table. Hilarity ensued as tensions rose. In the end, though, only one team could be called triumphant and walk away with more raffle tickets.
As the evening pressed on, wine and talk flowed freely as the GMBA family sat to eat before getting up once again to speak with friends, neighbors, classmates, and professors. A general air of conviviality filled the room. Many found their way to the back rooms and posed for the photo booth, receiving freshly printed mementos of an evening of smiles and laughter, or played blackjack against the dealer.
When dinner was finished, many left with shouts and smiles. Unity Ball marks the end of another school year for NTU’s GMBA program. We have all forged friendships and created memories that will stay with us. With a year of classes behind us, many look forward to everything the next year will bring, but we all look forward to Unity Balls to come, events to help up\s come together and remember our GMBA family!
The GMBA student council would especially like to thank those companies and individuals who helped make the raffle draw spectacular. Thanks to the following for their generous donations!
- Uber: 3 envelopes of $500 gift certificates
- Licorne: a beautiful couples watch set
- Justin Hu: 5 $1,000NTD SOGO Gift Certificates
- Armatoracatena (Hand-made by Kate Panzica): A gift set of GMBA color earrings and a matching hair ornament
- Armatoracatena: 2 sets of 2 movie tickets
- iCheers: 6 bottles of wine
