Thanksgiving at UWC-USA brings a special kind of warmth to campus as faculty and staff open their homes, traditions, and time to students who stay on campus during the break. This year, faculty and staff once again went the extra mile to make sure students felt welcomed, supported, and part of something larger than themselves.
Tina Beavers, who is a second-year teacher, hosted more than a dozen students in her on-campus home, where her family—including a seven-month-old daughter—shared meals, puzzles, games, and conversation. She says the experience not only gave students a joyful break but helped her own home feel complete: “Years from now, when my daughter and I look through our family photo albums, she will see images of the many students who cradled her with care and spoke to her in their own languages. By then, the students will be adults – perhaps raising families of their own and making an impact in communities around the globe. And in that moment, once again, I know I will feel deeply grateful.”
Martin Lopez Melendez, who supports student learning spent the holiday cooking with students, sharing turkey, homemade bread, and a cheesecake they baked together before setting out on a snowy 10-mile hike from the Santa Fe ski basin. And another teacher, Chris Rogers, took a group into the Santa Fe National Forest to cut Christmas trees—returning to campus singing carols, decorating, and drinking hot cocoa.
For faculty and staff, these shared moments deepen relationships, build trust, and reaffirm the meaning behind their work: a community strengthened by generosity, care, and connection.