In addition to the end of baseball season, the end of October means one thing: Halloween.
Last week, Brower Student Center staff attempted to bring some Halloween cheer to students at the College with contests such as scarecrow building, pumpkin carving and costume design.
"We want to put the student back in student center," Tim Asher, director of Student Affairs, said.
Jessica Claar, assistant director of Student Activities, explained contestants were competing for a $100 prize, redeemable at the bookstore or for food points in the student center food court.
"We want to take advantage of the services here," Claar said.
The week started with a scarecrow building contest. Unfortunately, the inclement weather postponed the contest for a day. By Oct. 29, a lone scarecrow stood outside the student center.
Participants in the pumpkin carving event were judged in categories including scariest, funniest, most original, most College spirit and best overall. Creativity, effort and design were also considered.
Claar hoped students would be attracted to the event because in the end, all the pumpkins were donated to local families. Also, by laying out the materials during the lunch hour rush, Claar thought interested students would be attracted.
"Maybe they'll get into the spirit if they see tools lying around," she said.
Michele Velluzzi, junior accounting major, rounded up a few friends to help her carve a pumpkin for the competition.
"It's better than being at work," Mike Stolar, junior finance major, said. "We saw the pumpkins and Michele came and got us."
As the designated carver, Stolar worked on creating a pumpkin with an impressive handlebar mustache. Velluzzi, Mary Beth Costantino, senior accounting major, and Warren Samlin, freshman business major, completed the team.
Each teammate offered ideas of how to create the winning pumpkin. Eyebrows, sideburns and the intensity of the mustache were all ideas the team discussed.
"He should just have one giant fang tooth," Samlin said.
The team, all Student Finance Board members, won the contest. As the team's contact, Velluzzi planned to collect the prize and put the $100 toward points from the food court.
Students also participated in the costume contest, held on Halloween. The same judging criteria applied to the costumes.
Standout costumes included Beeker from "The Muppet Show" and Death Eaters from "Harry Potter." But it was two contestants dressed as Legos who won the prize for best overall, good for $50 at the bookstore or the food court.
Claar hoped having the costume contest on Halloween would inject Halloween spirit into contestants.
"It's a fun holiday," Claar said. "You can goof off and have fun."
