Ferrell and Legacy Halls hosted a pub night on Friday, February 13 from 9 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. in the O’Brien Lounge in Ferrell Hall to promote community and responsible drinking. The event included two kegs of Boulevard Wheat and Fat Tire beer. Brian Bickford, Residence Director of Ferrell Hall, estimated that 200 students attended and said the event was a great success.

“I got a lot of comments from people saying thanks and that [the event] was the best thing the campus has ever done,” said Bickford. “I would like to continue this as long as I’m an RD.”

The pub night idea had been floating around for a few years among Bickford, Direct of Residence Life Christen Jones, and Ferrell Resident Assistant McLean Severson. The goal of the event, which featured music from Benedictine’s Celtic Music Club, was to bring students together while encouraging safe, responsible drinking.

“We wanted to bring students together, specifically upperclassmen who don’t normally participate in on-campus events, to demonstrate that you can have fun while drinking responsibly,” Bickford said.

The Ferrell and Legacy Hall staff did regulate the event. Students were restricted to three drinks from the keg and, while the event was open to anyone, people 21 years of age or older were carded and hand-stamped.

Students were happy to see the pub night take place. Senior and Student Government Association president Joey Orrino said the event went a long way toward bringing the campus together.

“The pub night absolutely encouraged community in a way that we don’t see enough on campus,” he said. “We saw people from all different groups, all different ages, on campus and off campus coming together and talking and hanging out and enjoying alcohol in a responsible way.”

The alcohol policy in the Benedictine College Student Handbook states that students of age have a freedom to choose whether to drink or not, and moderate consumption of alcohol is encouraged. On-campus functions that include alcohol must meet prior approval from the Student Life Office.

“The pub night was a sanc-tioned event in which alcohol was not the focus,” said Linda Henry, Vice President of Student Life. “On-campus events that serve alcohol like the homecoming dance are about people coming together to have a good time while using alcohol responsibly.”

Orrino would like to see more of these beneficial events take place. “We realize that alcohol has a good purpose,” he said. “It can help people loosen up and communicate better and enjoy themselves when it’s used in moderation. The point was not drunkenness but building community. I would love to see more events related to the pub night on campus in the future.”