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Spooky season at USI Students and employees got into the Halloween spirit with a plethora of events around campus

When it comes to themes, Rice Library never disappoints. Students and staff took special care in decorating their building from top to bottom for Halloween this year.

USI Foundation sponsored this year's Halloween circus-themed collection in Rice Library Archives and Special Collections. Shannon Hoehn, Senior Applications Administrator and UNIV 101 Instructor, brought her students to have their fortune told by Madame Deanna and to explore the memorabilia on display.

The collection consisted of 140 boxes of international and national circus history compiled and organized by Thomas Dunwoody, Past President of the International Circus Association. The collection came to the USI Archives from Peru, Indiana, home of the National Circus Association Office. With theses items comes a two-year paid, for credit internship for students to process and catalog the collection.

College of Liberal Arts Halloween Meet and Greet

Faculty from the College of Liberal Arts set up informative displays and talked with students about their majors and minors. Thankfully, only treats and advice were dispensed—no tricks!

Staff Council Pumpkin Contest

The annual Staff Council Halloween Pumpkin Decorating Contest featured several artfully decorated pumpkins vying for honors. Winners of this year's contest were:

  • Most Creative — Little Shop of Horror (left) by Hannah Woodring, Administrative Assistant for the Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education.
  • Spookiest Pumpkin — Pochita Pumpkin Chain Saw Dog (top) by Alyssa Akin, Graduate Admissions Assistant.
  • Silliest Pumpkin — Mike and Sully by Stephanie Fifer, Career Services and Internships.

Also participating in the contest were Kaitlyn Nickoli, SGA; Macy Holtz, Business Office; Terri Alvey, Rice Library; Lauren Bailey, Counseling and Psychological Services and Student Financial Assistance.

From Halloween Glow Bowling to APB's Halloween Bash, students and employees alike enjoyed dressing up for the spooky season. Even Archie got in on the fun on the cold, rainy Halloween day!

Lawrence Library celebrates Halloween with Poe

Spooky-tale lovers and Edgar Allan Poe enthusiasts were invited to Lawrence Library to not only celebrate Halloween on Monday, October 31 but to learn more about the famed horror writer and his work, "The Mask of the Red Death." Along with some chilling pieces from the Library's collection, lithographs inspired by Poe's tale were displayed, and a dramatic reading was available. And of course, guests were able to pick up a tasty treat!

Ancient Greek Art History students (ARTH 323) researched the Lawrence Library's Hellenistic Krater. The image above involves Triptolemus and the Greek Goddess Demeter. According to Greek legends, Triptolemus comforted Demeter after her daughter, Persephone, was kidnapped and taken to the Underworld. Definitely a spooky theme to go along with Halloween.

Federico Castellón (1914-1971) was inspired to create a series of lithographs inspired by Poe’s original version of "The Mask of the Red Death: A Fantasy," as published by Graham’s Magazine in 1842. Viewers were able to scan barcodes at the exhibit to view other ways to view Poe's iconic story of death and disease.

Incantation bowls like the one above, also known as "magic" or "demon" bowls, were discovered in ancient Mesopotamia. The bowls have incantations written on them to counter curses of demons or humans. The incantation starts at the center and spirals around to the top. This bowl, which was donated by John Lawrence, has its own spooky tale. Kept in his home, Lawrence often found fresh paw prints of a cat on the freshly vacuumed carpet where the bowl was kept—but Lawrence didn't have a cat!

This Nagual Mask is a benevolent guardian spirit. However, when Spanish conquistadors arrived in MesoAmerican Mexico, they perceived the mask to be devilish in nature.

As we head out of midterms and toward the end of the semester, these Halloween-themed events on campus were a nice break out of the norm for students and employees alike!

Created By
Barbara J. Goodwin
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Barbara J. Goodwin