When winter quarter arrives at Drexel University, the lobby of Westphal’s URBN Center transforms into a festive escape from academic pressures. Cotton candy swirls, popcorn pops, and laughter echoes as students line up for games, treats, and the chance to pie a club officer in the face. Welcome to the annual Drexel CHI Carnival—a spirited tradition that has quickly become one of campus’s most anticipated community events.
Not Your Average Fundraiser
Since its inception in 2022, the Drexel CHI Carnival has redefined what a student organization fundraiser can be. Rather than taking the conventional route of partnering with local restaurants or hosting a simple bake sale, the CHI UX Club’s Executive Board decided to create something more engaging and memorable.
The carnival represents a refreshing departure from typical fundraising approaches. Instead of merely collecting donations, the event creates a genuine experience that brings people together and offers students a welcome break from the intensity of classes while supporting the club’s activities throughout the year.
The result is an event that combines free offerings like cotton candy and popcorn with ticketed attractions including a bake sale, original artwork created by club leadership, face painting, and themed carnival games. In past years, brave E-Board members have even volunteered for the popular “Pie a CHI” booth, where students could purchase tickets for the chance to deliver a whipped cream pie to a willing club officer’s face.
Creating Campus Connections
While the carnival serves as a crucial fundraiser for the club’s year-round programming, its impact extends far beyond the financial. The event has become a community touchstone that brings together students from across disciplines and programs.
In one particularly heartwarming instance, a Drexel professor paused class 15 minutes early to bring their entire class to the carnival, purchasing tickets for each student to enjoy the festivities. These kinds of spontaneous connections exemplify the community-building potential of the event.
The timing of the carnival—typically during winter quarter—provides a welcome respite from both academic pressures and Philadelphia’s chilly temperatures. By transforming the URBN Center lobby into a colorful carnival atmosphere, the event creates a pocket of joy during one of the most demanding periods of the academic year.
Funding Future Experiences
Proceeds from the carnival directly support the Drexel CHI UX Club’s diverse programming throughout the year. The funds help provide refreshments for meetings, materials for hands-on workshops (like paints and canvases for design-themed social events), and resources for educational sessions focused on user experience and design.
By attending and participating in the carnival, students not only enjoy an afternoon of fun but also invest in future opportunities to learn, connect, and develop professional skills through the club’s activities.
A Tradition in the Making
Though relatively young as campus traditions go, the CHI Carnival has consistently met its fundraising goals while drawing impressive attendance numbers. The event’s success demonstrates the power of creative thinking in student organization management—an approach that, fittingly, reflects the design thinking principles at the heart of the CHI UX Club itself.
Rather than viewing the carnival as a direct application of user experience principles, the club sees it as complementary to their more focused professional activities. The carnival provides a needed counterbalance to the seriousness of classes and career-oriented workshops, reminding everyone that play and creativity are essential elements of a well-designed university experience.
Mark Your Calendars
For Drexel students looking for a break from routine or simply craving cotton candy on a winter afternoon, the annual CHI Carnival offers a perfect opportunity to connect with fellow students while supporting one of campus’s most active organizations.
Keep an eye on the Drexel CHI UX Club’s Instagram @drexelchi during winter quarter for announcements about the next carnival date. Whether you’re drawn by the sweet treats, the chance to discover student artwork, or the opportunity to pie someone in the face for a good cause, the CHI Carnival promises an experience worth stepping away from your studies for.