Italian Night to benefit Fine Arts department

November just got even more delicious.

Thursday, Nov. 15, is the 36th annual Italian Night, hosted by Delta Phi Delta. The fundraising event takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Building Foyer, and proceeds support TWU’s Fine Arts department. In addition to all-you-can-eat Italian, the event will feature a chance to tour the studios in the Fine Arts building and see student artwork on display in the department’s galleries.

DPD treasurer and senior fine arts major Erin Woika emphasized that this year’s Italian Night will serve an ambitious new goal for the organization: to create a fine arts scholarship in honor of Dr. John C. Calabrese, a now-retired former Fine Arts professor forTWU.

“With this year, in particular, we’re really hoping that we can get enough funds to start a new scholarship in Dr. Calabrese’s name since he was the biggest supporter of Delta Phi Delta,” Woika said. “He was the backbone for Delta Phi Delta as long as he was here at Texas Woman’s.”

Woika said the proposed scholarship would be made available for art and art history majors at TWU.

“We just wanted to have more options [for scholarships] available in the art department, since it is shrinking,” Woika said.

Woika expects a large turnout at the event and is hoping to exceed previous years’ attendance in light of the increased goal this semester.

“Last year, I believe we had between 150 and 250 people,” Woika said. “We’re hoping that this year we’ll have just as many, hopefully upward of 300.”

This year’s buffet will not feature any homemade food due to recent changes in campus rules but will offer food from a variety of local Italian eateries.

The event is open to all; tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.

To keep up with future DPD events, follow the organization’s Facebook page.