By: Madelynn Lockwood, Features Editor
Every Thursday of the academic year — depending on Buffalo weather, of course — you can find people lining up in the back quad during the Student Programming Board’s (SPB) Thursdays in the Quad (TITQ) events. Usually, you can find some sort of local food truck and giveaway being fought over by the hoards of students that seemingly appear out of nowhere.
Without fail, SPB has been feeding undergrads every Thursday since the beginning of my time here, and it continuously brings the Canisius community together time and time again. This past Thursday, SPB brought in Buffalo Burger Bros and Rolling Cannolis, who fed over 215 students. TITQ consistently draws out about 250 students each week. Other food trucks that have made appearances were Dirty Bird, The Cereal Spot, Taffy’s and Cheesy Chick.
For every starving student on campus, this is a favorite day of the week to grab some free food, but for friends who don’t have meal plans or the money to consistently eat in the dining hall, this is also an awesome way to be together and enjoy dinner. It is common to find people lingering in the Quad long after the giveaways and food is gone, simply being together. While for some it is common to be with friends and eat together, for this junior with a very limited meal plan and a very tight schedule, it isn’t, but TITQ always gives me an opportunity to see and be with my friends.
For a campus that continuously struggles with attendance at events and student engagement, this is no easy feat. SPB is a very active club that operates with the interest of the students in mind. SPB frequently sees high attendance rates at their other events as well: some of their biggest hits include Grocery Bingo, Fall Fest and Griff Fest. The regularity and consistency of these events give students a reason to go back to each and every event they throw.
Next Thursday, grab some friends and get there early for some good food, time with friends and the last bits of warm weather.
You can find more out about SPB, TITQ and their other events at @canisiusspb.