One major highlight of a crowded Christmas season was the Third Annual Christmas Gala, held on December 6 and featuring 38 students from the Forman College Choir, under the direction of Miss Joy, performing fourteen carols in multiple languages (including English, Urdu, Punjabi, Dutch, Spanish, Korean, and Latin), all based on the theme Light of the World. Once again, the well-decorated Sinclair Hall was fully packed and included a number of high-profile guests from Lahore area schools, colleges, convents, and churches. Several Forman board members attended, along with the head of Public Affairs from the US Consulate.
Another highlight was the Christmas Celebration arranged by Forman’s Advancement and Alumni Office on December 12 in the Jim Tebbe Campus Center, bringing together alumni, faculty, staff, and special guests to celebrate the season. Bob Wetmore provided a thoughtful reflection on Advent, while Bishop Irfan Jamil served as Chief Guest. Carols, a Christmas Quiz, and remarks by Chief Marketing and Outreach Officer Ms. Badia Raza helped round out a wonderful evening.
A third highlight was the annual Christmas Party and Annual Alumni Reunion hosted by Forman’s Center for Public Policy and Governance (CPPG) on December 17. Held at night under the stars at the CPPG Resource Center lawn, the evening included carols, nostalgic reflections, interesting conversations, alumni awards, and a Christmas cake cutting ceremony. In addition, we welcomed CG Kristin Hawkins from the US Consulate to this occasion.
Yet another highlight was the Christmas Fest and Carol Singing organized by the Student Affairs Office outside the Jim Tebbe Campus Center, providing “an unforgettable day with excitement and entertainment” that also included an amazing sound and light show, described as a “first” for Forman. For my part, I have to acknowledge that the effect of the colors and the beams of light coming from the Campus Center were astonishing!
Thanks also to the Student Affairs Office for organizing Forman’s Christmas Sports Fest 2024 on December 17, bringing together students, faculty, staff, and their families for a variety of events, including running races, tug of war, and musical chairs.
Several local service organizations set up stalls on the Forman campus during the Christmas season, providing students, faculty, and staff with opportunities to purchase a wide range of handmade items, many related to the Christmas season. Examples include the Emmanuel Center, Help for the Helpless, and the women’s stitchery initiative associated with the TSA/FCCU partnership.
Numerous offices and departments celebrated this year’s festive season in a variety of ways, both large and small. I appreciated attending some, but by no means all of them, experiencing something of the vibrancy of a month that witnessed a long list of wonderful events, including the Christmas gathering organized by the Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics; similar celebrations hosted by the Physics Department, English Department, and Faculty of Education, the latter featuring a Kris Kindle celebration that included a Secret Santa gift exchange; and the Carol Service arranged by Forman’s Christian Life program: (https://youtu.be/_YNLKl_3rsM).
It was also my privilege to witness the Light of Hope Secret Santa gift-giving program arranged by the Forman Rotaract Society following the advice of Chief Information Officer Anthony Richards, an active Rotarian who arranged additonal assistance from his own Rotary Club. In addition, I was asked to distribute medals and certificates to several Light of Hope students who demonstrated excellence during a recent SMETA Visual Art Olympiad (SMETA is an acronym for Science, Maths, English, Technology and Art).
This year’s SMETA Visual Art Olympiad encouraged participants to bring beloved classics of English literature to life through art, in turn becoming the catalyst for artistic contributions based on iconic works such as Harry Potter, Alice in Wonderland and The Chronicles of Narnia. Anaya Zaheer (Grade 10) won a Gold Medal for her outstanding artistic expression while Dua George (Grade 10) received a Bronze medal. Many other Light of Hope students of all ages also received Certificates of Merit and Appreciation for their work.
From the January 2025 Rector’s Update