Honors College supporters fill St. Ann Catholic Church during the 10th annual Pierre Laclede Honors College Trivia Night. All proceeds raised during the event benefit the Robert and Paulette Bliss Study Abroad Scholarship. (Photos by Karen Holman)
With their weekdays steeped in scientific theories and literary criticism, it’s rare to hear a group of University of Missouri–St. Louis professors discussing “The Office” and “Curious George.” But the Pierre Laclede Honors College Trivia Night forced them to do just that.
The award-winning event celebrated its 10th year on Saturday at St. Ann Catholic Church. Beyond trivia, the evening featured a silent auction, 50-50 raffle and costume and table-decorating contests.
Attendees browse items available for bidding at the Honors College Trivia Night silent auction. A quilt made from Honors College memorabilia sits in the background.
Boasting a Roaring ’20s theme, the event could be termed a tale of two centuries. Some attendees wore modern attire, while others were decked out in the 1920s flapper style.
Trivia categories included everything from Intoxicating Ingredients, which required participants to identify cocktails based on a list of ingredients, to Colorful Nation, U.S. history questions that featured a color.
After eight rounds of 10 questions each, UMSL’s librarians reigned victorious. They were awarded a cash prize, which they donated back to the Honors College.
All proceeds from the evening supported the Robert and Paulette Bliss Study Abroad Scholarship. Named after Honors College Dean Emeritus Robert Bliss, the scholarship provides funding for honors students who want to study at a foreign university.
“Studying abroad can be transformative,” said Edward Munn Sanchez, current Honors College dean. “For many of our students, that wouldn’t be possible without a scholarship like this. This event really makes a difference.”
Teaching Professor Kimberly Baldus displays a prize she won during the Birthday Game, played between rounds of trivia during the 10th annual Honors College Trivia Night.
The Pierre Laclede Honors College Alumni association, along with student volunteers, organized the trivia competition, silent auction and a 50-50 raffle that ultimately totaled more than $1,300. Between trivia rounds, participants competed for lottery tickets in the Head or Tails Game, where the winner was determined by a series of coin flips, and the Birthday Game, where chances of winning were based on contestants’ birthdays.
Attendees also got to sample Pierre Laclede pilsner, a unique beer created by Ferguson Brewing Company.
Trivia Night kicked off a series of Honors College anniversary celebrations this semester. The college will launch the 20th issue of Bellerive, its annual literary publication featuring creative works, in February. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the college, with a celebration set to take place in April.
