By Winter Dube | Campus Life Reporter 

VALDOSTA, Ga. — On Friday, Nov. 21, the Honors Student Association (HSA) filled the house with warm lights, holiday music, and community for its fourth annual Lighting of the House Celebration to continue a tradition that started decades ago by former Valdosta State University President, Hugh C. Bailey, who served for 23 years starting in 1978, with his wife Joan.  

HSA President Jillian Abarca, a double major in music general and marketing, said the event is rooted in honoring the Baileys, who lived in the house during Bailey’s presidency and opened it to students and the Valdosta community each holiday season.  

“They gave us this house after Dr. Bailey retired, and now it’s where our honors faculty works, where we hold our biweekly meetings, and where students can use classrooms and the computer lab,” Abarca said. Noting that this year’s celebration was to welcome the entire campus and community. “When the Baileys hosted their event, it was always about the community. For our fourth year, we wanted to make sure everyone could be part of it.” 

Raya Schilke, a master’s student in library and information science, explained that Bailey, who served as VSU’s president from 1978 to 2001, began the original tradition by lighting a Christmas tree in the backyard and inviting families, students and neighbors to share refreshments and music.  

“They were big event  hoster’s known for their elegant events on campus and inviting people into their homes,” she said. “They would have refreshments and drinks and mingling with the Christmas tree. The kids would count down lighting the tree.”  

After Bailey retired, the house sat vacant for several years before being designated for the Honors College around 2011. The home was originally located on Brookwood Avenue near Drexel Park before being moved to its current location.  

Schilke added that Baileys’ daughter, Laura, who now lives in Athens, visited the Honors House a few years ago to share stories about the elaborate events her parents hosted. Both Dr. and Mrs. Bailey have since died, but their legacy remains central to the celebration. 

Guests began gathering at 5:30 p.m. and spent time talking and enjoying refreshments before the lighting took place at 7 p.m. Thirty minutes later, student performers Alexia Griffin, Donovan Wells, Ryan Tuff, Kayla Griffin and Julian Abarca sang holiday classics for the crowd, including “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman” and “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire).”  

The lights adorning the house were placed by Arizona Renfroe, a senior mass media major who led the decorating effort. “Putting the lights up is stressful because that’s what people come to see,” Renfroe said. “I have to wrap them as tight as I can, and I’m on a ladder getting the high points.”  

He thanked Honors students Cason Zachary, Tristan Thomas and Diya Modi for assisting him and said, “Even though they don’t know it, they’ll be in charge next semester.” 

Zachary, a senior history major and aerospace minor who serves as vice president of the HSA, also oversaw a fundraiser held during the event. Honors students handcrafted ornaments featuring designs such as the VSU logo, Blaze with holiday decorations, bells symbolizing the lighting tradition, the iconic red door of the Honors College and even a “Langdale Survivor” ornament.  

Zachary said the fundraiser supports HSA programming and allows the group to assist students in the community, including through the Honors Pantry, which provides food and essential items to students in need. 

Although the tradition originates from the Honors College, Abarca emphasized that the Honors House is open to all students, not just those enrolled in the program. As lights glowed against the November sky and conversations continued until the event concluded at 8:30 p.m., the Lighting of the House once again brought students, faculty and community members together, just as the Baileys intended.