Thanksgiving is a season of reflection and gratitude, and at Saint Peter’s University, the community comes together to give thanks and share quality time with each other at our annual Celebration of Gratitude and Thanksgiving Luncheon.
Lunch was served by senior leadership colleagues who thank all community members for their contributions to Saint Peter’s. The day also featured a brief Thanksgiving program where reflections on appreciation were shared.
There’s no written recap of the festivities that could do a better job of capsulizing the meaning of the holiday better than the speech given by student speaker Jenny Avecillas, Class of 2027.
Here are the words she shared during the event:
“As we gather today to celebrate Thanksgiving, I have been reflecting on what gratitude truly means. To me, it is more than a word, it is a perspective, a way of living that helps us see the value in every moment, even the ordinary ones.
College life moves quickly. Between classes, projects, and everything in between, it is easy to get caught up in what is next and forget how far we have already come. But I encourage you to take a moment to look around and recognize the people and opportunities that have shaped our journey.
Thanksgiving is a time to appreciate the present, the people we share it with, and the simple moments that make life meaningful. It is about recognizing the beauty in learning, in friendship, and in every opportunity that helps us grow. Gratitude reminds us to look around and see how much goodness already surrounds us.
So today, I want to say thank you to the professors who inspire us, the friends who lift us, and the families who believe in us even when we doubt ourselves. Each of them plays a part in the story we are writing here.
As we share this day, may we carry this spirit of gratitude beyond Thanksgiving: into the classroom, into our friendships, and into the goals we chase. Because when we choose to see what is good, even in small ways, we realize that we already have more than enough.
Happy Thanksgiving!”