Ohio State students have more than one option for Thanksgiving dinner. This year, students have three Thanksgiving celebrations open to them on campus.

RPAC Thanksgiving

The turkey dinner provides a Thanksgiving celebration for students, faculty and staff who cannot go home for the holiday. With a typical attendance of 1,200, this tradition brings home cooking and the holiday spirit to a diverse group of international and out-of-state students.

Most colleges and universities celebrate Thanksgiving before the holiday. Ohio State is one of the few to actually hold a dinner for students and staff on Thanksgiving.

“Thanksgiving dinner on campus started in the early 1990s when Larry Williamson from the Office of Minority Affairs took the initiative to gather a group of American minority students attending Ohio State, who could not leave Columbus during the long Thanksgiving school weekend, for dinner in a campus residence hall,” said Kevin Harty, International Programs liason. “It represents Ohio State’s commitment to students, by having special events programming on campus on university holidays, with the support of faculty, staff and families coming on campus to service the traditional Thanksgiving dinner.”

This year, more than 100 volunteers will assemble and serve the dinner. The event is catered by Keaton’s Katering & Konsulting with food donations by U.S. Foodservice, Inc., and assistance by the Ohio State University Campus Dining Services and University Catering.

“You can expect a traditional American Thanksgiving Dinner including turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, beans, corn, pumpkin and apple pie, and more!” Harty said. “Ohio State is proud to have the largest free Thanksgiving dinner in the United States to be held on a university campus on Thanksgiving Day.”

The dinner will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. at the RPAC in the Davis
Special Events Gym. A limited supply of tickets are still available at the Hale Black Cultural Center and Office of International Affairs. Tickets are free, but are required to attend for the event.

Alternative Harvest Thanksgiving Dinner

The American Indian Council and the Multicultural Center will host a traditional Thanksgiving for American Indian, Indigenous students and friends. This celebration works to appreciate the harvest season without supporting a holiday that has a “checkered past in regards to indigenous people in America,” according the Multicultural Center’s Web site.

The event description claims the dinner will consist of “food that was indigenous to Ohio before the Indian Removal Act of 1830 which removed virtually all indigenous people from Ohio.”

During this meal a powerpoint presentation will be shown to explain some of this group’s issues with Thanksgiving.

The meal will be held in the Women’s Field House Tuesday from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

To RSVP this event, please e-mail Candi Krisch at [email protected]. Seating is limited.

Hispanic Business Student Association: Thanksgiving dinner with a salsa twist

Tonight, the HBSA will host a Thanksgiving Dinner with a salsa twist. The dinner will include live music and authentic Hispanic food.
The dinner will be held in the RPAC Amphitheater from 5:30 to 11 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving at home or here on campus, these options will allow you to share Thanksgiving with friends and faculty here at OSU.