In the spirit of the holiday season, students helped decorate Beacon Hill in early December, and the campus community gathered at the Temple Street Park midweek to celebrate the University’s annual Festival of Lights.

“The Festival of Lights event is meant to help the community strive towards peace, love, and hope during this season,” said University Chaplain Amy Fisher.

The Interfaith Center presented readings, songs, and cultural and religious information about the winter holidays.

Fisher offered an overview of traditions, including Advent, Chanukah, Kwanzaa and the Winter Solstice.

“It was wonderful to see so many people from the Suffolk community turn out and make this celebration truly joyful,” she said.

"This event is a great way to bring us together as a school and celebrate the holiday season before we go our separate ways for winter break," said student Molly DeLisle.

Acting President and Provost Barry Brown lit an evergreen tree at the center of the park. “It’s finally starting to feel like the holiday season,” he said.

The holiday cheer extended out from campus as students from the S.O.U.L.S. Community Service and Service Learning Center volunteered to help decorate Beacon Hill over the weekend, concentrating their efforts on creating and installing swags of greenery at the historic Harrison Gray Otis House on Cambridge Street.