4 Ways Widener is Celebrating Halloween

What do Widener University, children, and the boogeyman have in common? They all love Halloween, and this year at Widener, it will be a bigger deal than ever.

Starting on Oct. 25 and lasting through the week, our vibrant campus will be fully embracing its spooky side with a variety of events and festivities.

1. Dogs (and Cats) in Costume

Dogs are a frequent sight around Memorial Field and things get really interesting around Halloween. That’s because the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) holds its annual Strut Your Mutt dog costume competition on campus.

This year, our student organizers have even pulled cat lovers into the fun for PRSSA’s Cause for the Paws, an online cat costume contest. Participants can dress their feline friend in their best Halloween costume and submit a picture online.

Judges and spectators alike select their favorite costumes in person and online, and winners receive a pawsome prize, while our student organizers in the PRSSA get a hands-on learning experience in pulling together a philanthropic and fun event. 

Students, faculty, staff, and alumni can register their costume-strutting pooch or kitty for a nominal fee and all proceeds go to Providence Animal Shelter in Media, Pa.

For more information and to register, see the Strut Your Mutt and Cause for the Paws event page.

2. Office-Style Trick or Treating

Faculty and staff are getting in the Halloween spirit too with Widener’s campus-wide Trunk or Treat event this year. The Office of Human Resources is organizing the haunting journey, which encourages participants to visit as many decorated offices as possible around campus.

Participating offices are requested to draw on their "We're All Widener" spirit and bring in at least two bags of candy, which will be collected and donated to a local Marine Corps Detachment for deployed troops and children, and to families of the Child Development Center. A judge will come through to select favorite office/door decorations, and all participating offices will receive a treat for their efforts.

For more information and a list of participating offices, see the Trunk or Treat event page.

3. Haunted Classrooms

For students looking for something truly frightening to get them into the Halloween spirit, our Fraternity & Sorority Life Community will be holding its first ever Haunted Hallways Tour through Lathem Hall.

Students can explore "abandoned" classrooms decked out with scary sights, tricky riddles to solve, and scavenger hunts. A host of Widener organizations will be involved in decorating and operating each room, and the brave souls who dare to enter them will get to vote on their favorite at the end of the walk-through. Food, games, and prizes will be available for all attendees, and the winning organization will win a pizza or ice cream party.

Cheers to our Fraternity & Sorority Life community for founding this new event! More information can be found on the Haunted Hallways Tour event page.

4. Kids in Costume and Spooky Science!

What's cuter than kids in costumes on Halloween? We've got those too! Widener's Child Development Center, which provides hands-on learning opportunities for our university students AND a valuable child care resource, will celebrate Halloween in style -- with a costume parade. And, the fun continues into the afternoon with Spooky Science sponsored by the Chemistry Club, where our science majors will share experiments that are sure to get our little ghosts and goblins excited.