CUIMC Celebrates the Holidays

This year, CUIMC celebrated the holidays throughout the month with events for students, faculty, and staff.  

CUIMC for the Holidays, the annual CUIMC employee appreciation event, was hosted by the CUIMC Events Office on Dec. 18 in the 50 Haven Ballroom. Faculty and staff enjoyed warm beverages and a variety of savory and sweet treats, took photos at the work-family holiday photo booth, and enjoyed a stroll through the Winter Wonderland. 

The celebration also featured a Wish Tree, where faculty and staff shared more than 160 wishes, reflecting the care, hope, and connection that define our CUIMC community. 

Attendees also donated toys for the annual CUIMC holiday toy drive, which collected toys throughout the month of December at various locations across campus.

Toys were donated during the holiday tea party, adding to the collection of toys donated at locations around campus over the month of December. The toy drive was coordinated by the Office of Academic and Community Partnerships.

The celebration also featured a Wish Tree, where faculty and staff shared more than 160 wishes.

At the holiday party, a variety of refreshments and sweet and savory snacks were available, including churros and holiday cookies.

Attendees had the chance to wrap toys donated to the campus toy drive.

The holiday party included a photo booth with props.

Attendees enjoyed a stroll through the Winter Wonderland, where they could take pictures in front of two festive photo backdrops.

CUIMC community members can continue giving to ongoing drives, organized by the Office of Academic and Community Partnerships. The Community Food Drive continues year-round with an Amazon wishlist, to ensure ongoing access to essential items for local families, and the Hands-On STEM Initiative, a partnership with DonorsChoose, to spark curiosity in science classrooms in the community.  

The Dec. 18 celebration followed a lighting celebration the previous week on Haven Plaza, where trees on the plaza were lit up in an array of lights. The lighting event also featured holiday music, refreshments, and treats for attendees, including Washington Heights community members. 

Additionally, on Dec. 16, the Jewish Cultural Employee Resource Group and the Chabad House hosted a menorah lighting ceremony on Haven Plaza in celebration of Hanukkah. Katrina Armstrong, dean of the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and CEO of CUIMC; Ross Frommer, co-chair of the Jewish Cultural ERG and Vice President of Government Affairs; and VP&S student Ezra Gordon spoke at the event. Attendees also enjoyed traditional sufganiyot and warm beverages. The event was dedicated to the victims of the Bondi Beach attack.

The Jewish Cultural Employee Resource Group and the Chabad House hosted the menorah lighting ceremony on Dec. 16.

The event marked the third night of Hanukkah.

Katrina Armstrong, dean of the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and CEO of CUIMC made remarks at this year's lighting.

Ross Frommer, co-chair of the Jewish Cultural ERG and Vice President of Government Affairs spoke at the event.

VP&S student Ezra Gordon also spoke at this year's lighting.

Students celebrated the holiday season on Dec. 2 at Chill Out * Warm Up, a study break hosted by Student Health on Haven in the 50 Haven lounge. The event was designed to create space for connection, creativity, and rest during a busy, oftentimes stressful part of the year.