The BYU Marriott School of Business hosted its third annual Winter Ball, bringing students together for an evening of dancing, music and socializing on Feb. 1.
The event was held at the White Shanty venue, a cozy and well-decorated venue in Provo. The ball was organized by the business school’s Student Leadership Advisory Council.
Brigitte Madrian, dean of the Marriott School of Business, talked about the importance of these events in fostering community for the school.
“This is the third year,” Madrian said. “We want to provide an opportunity for people to get together and have fun, to build community.”
Event planners from the dean’s office, Emilie Barlow and Maddie Baker, shared some of what went into planning the event.
“We’ve been working on it for months, there are so many little parts, like getting the photo bus, getting the charcuterie, so there’s a lot of moving parts,” Barlow said. “It’s so fun when it all comes together.”
Baker echoed the importance of crafting a meaningful experience.
“We try to determine what’s the experience we want people to have while they’re here, and what we want them to get out of it,” Baker said. “And this one’s really fun to do, because it’s bringing everyone together and having such a fun experience."
The ball featured a DJ, a selfie station with an elegant backdrop and a photo booth inside a vintage Volkswagen bus from the Photo Booth Bus Company. The bus had an assortment of fun props to liven up any picture and capture memories of the evening.
Students were able to enjoy a charcuterie board with a variety of foods including fruit, meat, crackers and vegetables provided by Soda and Sweets Catering. They also offered a soda bar with a wide selection of drink options to choose from.
The students who attended praised the events put on by the business school, like the ball, for fostering a sense of community within the business school.
“I think it’s really great. You get to interact with people in your cohort a lot, but it’s really good to break out and meet people in different programs,” Josh Christensen, a strategic management major said.
Hannah Cameron, an information systems major who had attended the ball before, said she loved the event.
“It’s probably one of my favorite events of the year,” she said.
The ball offered an opportunity for students to get to know one another, while having an opportunity to take a break from coursework.
The dance floor remained lively throughout the night, with students dancing to energetic and slow songs alike.
Barlow believes that the Winter Ball will keep going for years to come.
“I mean, we started during COVID because we didn’t have a prom, and as you can see, everyone loves them. It’s just such a fun and different atmosphere than what we’re used to. I think we’ll keep them coming,” Barlow said.
She went on to explain the number of students in attendance.
“We’ve capped our registration at max capacity at 350, and it was done in one day, and we told people to keep coming,” Barlow said. With more than 350 attendees, and additional guests beyond the original cap, the event was lively with students chatting, laughing and dancing through the evening.
With strong attendance and positive feedback, the Winter Ball continues to cement itself as a beloved tradition for the Marriott School of Business, bringing students together in celebration and fellowship.