The first Davidson Dinner benefits college's fund

Driving by the Davidson College campus the other day, I noticed the reappearance of students after winter break.

It served as a reminder that folks in town miss the "kids" when they're on hiatus.

The students are a vital part of this community, enriching town life in a unique way. The upcoming Dinner at Davidson, a student-planned event for friends older than 50, is an example of how the college and community coexist.

The first Dinner at Davidson, scheduled for 6-9 p.m. Feb. 13 in the commons on campus, will raise money for the Davidson Trust. Many may not realize that the college made history as the first liberal arts college to establish a need-blind admission policy. The trust enables the college to meet 100 percent of its students' demonstrated need, through gifts from alumni, parents, students and community members.

"One of the college's strongest attributes is it's connection to the community," said senior Liz Rollins, who serves on the external affairs committee that has planned the event. The original idea was that of Jordan Starck, who heads the committee, and plans have been in the works for nearly a year. The dinner, which they hope will become an annual event, will feature gourmet Southern cuisine created by student-run restaurant P.S. Also, student and faculty-created artwork will be auctioned off with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the trust. The a cappella groups Delilahs and Androgyny, as well as the Davidson Jazz band, will perform.

There also will be a dance floor - the perfect place for Mayor John Woods and Davidson College President Tom Ross to strut their stuff.

Although students won't be attending, they'll be doing everything from waitressing to overseeing from behind-the-scenes.

"Our mission is to connect with the community and raise awareness about why the trust is important," Rollins said. "We'd also like to help bring people to Davidson College who might not come otherwise."

That connection to the community is something that New York-bred Rollins noticed on her first visit to campus four years ago. She's certainly balanced community involvement and college life during her four years on campus.

In addition to her work on the external affairs committee, Rollins helps head the Adopt-A-Grandparent program.

The program, which matches students with "grandfriends" and works in association with the Davidson Department of Parks and Recreation, has been a bright spot in Rollins' college experience.

Though the upcoming event is separate from her work with Adopt-A-Grandparent, the overlapping seems a fitting way to wind up her four years on campus.

"It's exciting because something like this hasn't been done before," Rollins said. "I think it will be the perfect combination of town and college."