Skip to main content

Signature Engagements

A nighttime outdoor gathering with a group of people standing in a circle around a fire pit. The fire casts a warm glow on their faces and bodies. Some individuals are holding sticks with marshmallows or other items, roasting them over the flames. The setting appears to be a grassy lawn with a building in the background, its windows lit from within. Additional groups of people are visible further back, indicating a larger social event or community gathering.


The Bethe signature engagements are events that we host every year and are in addition to the various programs hosted by our GRFs and URFs throughout the year. 

Dessert Socials
Held twice a semester the night before the first and last day of classes, dessert socials are a great way to relax and enjoy some late-night sweet treats at the beginning and end of each semester. Macarons from Wegmans are a staple and a highlight!

First Day of Classes Fire and Ice
Held the evening of the first day of classes in Fall, Fire and Ice brings Bethe and West Campus together to enjoy ice-cream and s'mores around a big bonfire. 

Spa Nights
With support from the generous ThrivingRed endowment from the Class of ’66, Spa Nights are a GRF-driven initiative established in 2019 with a night dedicated to self-care and relaxation, strategically planned at the most hectic times of the semester. Featuring lots of self-care activities, plants, animals, and more, Spa Nights often feature special themes and lots of goodies and giveaways.

Films and Concerts
We sponsor limited season passes for Cornell Cinema and the Cornell Concert Series to facilitate the ability to enjoy screenings and performances as a group. 

Off-Campus Trips
Bethe is known for our trips off-campus! We collaborate with Rose House to bring residents to a Broadway show in NYC in the fall and a museum in the Spring, visit downtown Ithaca for a Haunted History Tour every October, and plan one-off events based on student interest as well!

Study Breaks – Active Citizen Powered
Our Active Citizens host study breaks most weeks throughout the year. ACs are important peer leaders in the community who provide engagement opportunities with the spirit of “for the residents, by the residents.”