Ever since its founding in 1998, the McWane Science Center has been one of Birmingham’s most popular attractions, and on the night of March 16, it was the location for Samford’s annual Beeson Ball. With most of the building rented out, students in attendance were able to explore the venue, take photos at a booth and dance the night away.
Nicole Klaubert, Assistant Director for Student Activities and Events, spoke about the design and coordination of the dance.
“Our theme for Beeson Ball was ‘A Night in the Magic City,’” she said. “Being off campus at the McWane Science Center, we wanted to highlight Birmingham favorites and landmarks through the design and catering.”
“We loved that the McWane Science Center gave us access to all three floors of the museum. People could be upstairs with the DJ, downstairs exploring the exhibits, or both. We knew it would offer a wide variety of activities for everyone to enjoy.”
This Beeson Ball has been the first off-campus dance that Samford has hosted since the beginning of COVID-19, and the students’ reception of the ball was overwhelmingly positive.
Sydney Durie, freshman elementary education major, thoroughly enjoyed her first Samford dance.
“Beeson Ball was such a fun experience,” Durie said, “so many memories were made that night that will not be forgotten! From the moment that I stepped foot into the McWane Science Center, I already knew that this was going to be the best night ever.”
Caroline Vaccaro, a sophomore journalism and mass communications major, also attended and shared similar feelings.
“I had a really good time at Beeson Ball,” she said, “it was very fun to connect with the Samford body as a whole, regardless of what organization they were [in]… the venue was really cool and engaging.”
The different floors each had a variety of interactive displays, ranging from nautical and navigational exhibits, to natural history exhibits and physical science exhibits.
“There was an exhibit where you could lay on a bed of nails, and it would levitate you,” Viccaro said. “That was really awesome.”
Staff Writer
