Dr. Whitely hands out pancakes to students, contributed by the UMiami Student Affairs & Alumni Engagement page.
The iconic University of Miami tradition, Pancakes with Pat, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this spring. Pancakes with Pat started in 2017 after Senior Vice President of Student Affairs and Alumni Engagement, Dr. Patricia Whitely, was inspired by the school slogan “Canes care for Canes.”
Committed to boosting student engagement and fostering community, Dr. Whitely began serving late-night pancakes to students. Almost 10 years later, the tradition is still going strong.
On Aug.17, students concluded the first day of class and lined up outside Lakeside Village, where the first Pancakes with Pat of the semester was held. Dr. Pat Whitely, sporting her bright orange visor and white apron, handed out pancakes to students, alongside members of the university’s housing and residential life and dining.
Upon receiving their pancakes, students were met with a dessert bar filled with a plethora of toppings. From sprinkles to chocolate to whipped cream, there wasn’t a topping missing.
“I love coming to Pancakes with Pat for the pancakes, the t-shirt, of course, and the vibes. My pancakes were so good, I put whipped cream, chocolate chips and oreos on them,” said Maddie Weinberg, a UM sophomore.
Students received a newly-designed Pancakes with Pat t-shirt in addition to their pancakes. In commemoration of its 10-year anniversary, the Student Affairs and Marketing team worked to redesign the Pancakes with Pat brand. Their new design is fresh and modern, but still reflects the Pancakes with Pat’s commitment to strengthening student connection and campus community.
“Pancakes with Pat is a good social hub, especially with the fact that school can get very busy at times. The shirt is nice and makes the event even more memorable,” said Curtis Maeri, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering.
New Pancakes with Pat merchandise via the UMiami Student Affairs & Alumni Engagement Instagram page.
“I heard there were free pancakes, so I went. The merchandise is cool, and the event brings everyone together,” said freshman Cyrus Stanton.
Although the pancakes are a bonus, many students go simply because they love Dr. Whitely.
“I went to Pancakes with Pat because Dr. Whitely is the G.O.A.T.,” said sophomore Irfan Navsariwala.
The next Pancakes with Pat event is on Sept. 23 at Centennial Village. Information about future events is provided by the University of Miami’s Student Affairs and Alumni Engagement Instagram page.