Friendsgiving Intergenerational Trivia attendees fill their plates with snacks in the Rumsey Room on Nov. 20. Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — A Friendsgiving Intergenerational Trivia was held in Shepherd University’s Student Center Rumsey Room on Nov. 20.

This was the second such trivia night, created to bring together Shepherd University’s students from Generation Z with community members from Generation X and the Baby Boom. The inaugural trivia night was held last spring, according to Shepherdstown resident Carolyn Rodis.

“The game last spring was such a success, that we decided to make it an annual event,” Rodis said. “We fostered relationships between students and community members, respected each others’ knowledge and experience and had fun!”

Rodis noted that after Shepherd University achieved status as a member of the Age-Friendly University Global Network last year, many Shepherd faculty and community members wanted to see the college promoting age-friendliness even more than it already was doing.

“Shepherd was accepted into the Age-Friendly University Global Network in 2023, the first West Virginia university to be accepted. Heidi Dobish, who is a professor of psychology at Shepherd, led the effort,” Rodis said, mentioning she and former Lifelong Learning director Karen Rice helped with the application. “I am [now] a member of the advisory board, along with two other community members and several Shepherd faculty representatives.”

Trivia master John Meeker, back right, leads the Friendsgiving Intergenerational Trivia in the Rumsey Room on Nov. 20. Tabitha Johnston

Rodis said the plan to hold a trivia night was developed by herself and Dobish.

“One of the 10 Age-Friendly University Principles is to encourage intergenerational learning and activities,” Rodis said. “Playing games like this together is an opportunity to build relationships, while having a good time.”

The Friendsgiving Intergenerational Trivia was made possible with the help of Shepherd University’s Program Board, Student Activities & Leadership Director Rachael Meads and “Trivia Master” John Meeker, who emceed the event and developed most of its questions with a focus on Gen X and Gen Z knowledge.

A total of 35 community members and college students formed seven teams together. They answered questions collaboratively and shared a light Friendsgiving dinner with each other, during the evening.

At one of the tables, Shepherd University students Oli Piere and Anika Wirt energetically chatted with Shepherdstown resident Sandy Brown. According to Brown, this was the first time she had participated in the trivia night, though it would likely be far from the last.

“College students bring different perspectives and views that are invaluable! They are a delightful part of this town,” Brown said, mentioning those in older generations have a lot that they bring to the table, as well. “They can open our eyes to a lot of things and we can potentially help them figure out what they want to do next and where they want to go — we may even have connections for them.”

Piere, who helped organize the trivia nights as a member of the Program Board, agreed with Brown.

“Different generations have a lot more in common than we think we do. We’re often segregated by age, when it doesn’t really matter,” Piere said. “This is a chance to make friends that are in a different place in life than we are and have different interests!”

Wirt said that, after attending the inaugural trivia night, she was excited to participate in it again.

“It’s fun! I love meeting new people, especially people who I would not necessarily have the avenue to meet otherwise,” Wirt said. “If we want to be considered an inclusive community, then we need to be having conversations and building relationships and learning to empathize with experiences different than our own, with people from other walks of life.”