Holiday Stroll: Food, Fun & Festive Cheer! | UMass Office of the President

01/14/2026

On December 17, the President’s Office turned up the holiday spirit with a lively and laughter-filled Holiday Stroll! More than 200 colleagues gathered to eat, mingle, and celebrate the season together. The menu was a crowd-pleaser, featuring a carving station, pasta toss station, cozy soups, and plenty of other tasty favorites.

The fun didn’t stop at the food! The afternoon was packed with friendly competition and big smiles thanks to bingo, Kahoot, and emoji Pictionary. The craft corner stayed busy with creative energy, the Yankee Swap delivered plenty of surprises, and the Annual Great UMass Dessert Competition once again stole the show—because nothing says the holidays like a little sweet competition!

It was the perfect chance to unwind, connect, and enjoy some well-earned festive fun with colleagues.

🎁 Mingle Bingo Winners

Rocking a new UMass winter hat or snuggling up with a cozy throw blanket!

Caitlyn Riedle, UPST
Debra Hight, UPST
Kathy Sawyer, UITS
Kelsey McCauley, UPST
Megan Momtaheni, UITS
Pete Connell, UITS
Sam Herren, UITS
Sam Wallace, ERM

🎬🍿 Seasonal Movie Trivia Winners

Taking home a sleigh flower arrangement!

Amanda Gordon, UPST
Kelly Gregory, Controller’s Office
Mike McGovern, UPST

🍰🎉 The Great UMass Dessert Competition Winners

Sweet victories—and a sleigh flower arrangement to match!

Cheryl Desmarais, Payroll
Maria Dahod, UITS
Sara Veilleux, UPST

🌟 Big Thanks & Holiday High-Fives!

A huge round of applause for our fantastic planning team who made the magic happen:
Amy Thompson • Cheryl Millett • Jacquie Kittler • Jillian Warren • John Dawson • Kelly Fucci • Lucas Carter • Sam Herren

And a very special thank-you to all the volunteers who helped with set-up and clean-up, you are the real holiday heroes! Because of you, the Holiday Stroll was a festive success from start to finish.