Halloween Comes to Campus

10/20/2015 

Miniature Marvel superheroes, Disney princesses and assorted other trick-or-treaters and their families are invited to come knocking at two free SUNY Cortland events this week that offer safe and fun Halloween activities.

The first offers safe trick-or-treating inside selected residence halls on Thursday, Oct. 29. A “Halloween Extravaganza” party takes place at the Lynne Parks ’68 SUNY Cortland Alumni House, at 29 Tompkins St., on Saturday, Oct. 31.

Here’s more on each event:

Residence Hall Trick-or-Treating

This annual safe, free community event held by the students living in campus buildings runs from 4 to 6 p.m. in the following halls: Alger, Bishop, Casey Tower, Cheney, Clark, DeGroat, Dragon, Fitzgerald, Glass Tower, Hayes, Hendrick, Higgins, Randall, Shea, Smith Tower, and Whittaker. The parties feature games and refreshments.

Any child that participates must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Residence Life and Housing also will host an adult Halloween costume party from 5 to 7 p.m. in the community center at West Campus Apartments.

For information on the residence hall events, contact Will Ahern at 607-753-4154. A flier is available with details including a map families can use to find the participating residence halls.

Parks Alumni House “Halloween Extravaganza”

Sponsored by Alumni Engagement, the Parks Alumni House and Spark (formerly called the Student Alumni Association), the second annual event is free and open to the public.

Eight student interns assigned with the College’s Alumni Engagement office will do their spooky best to ensure the youngsters and their families enjoy the event, which features an open house from 1 to 3 p.m. featuring cider, donuts and house tours for the public. Later, from 4 to 8 p.m., the extravaganza will feature handing out candy, a costume contest, children’s dance contest, face painting and other children’s activities for youngsters and their families.

Spooky pumpkins will decorate the house and partygoers will compete for best Halloween costume. The first place costume contest winner will receive a $20 Shipwreck Golf Amusement Center gift card; second place winner, a SUNY Cortland clothing item; and third place winner, a Red Dragon stuffed animal. With parents’ permission, the Parks Alumni House will post pictures of their kids in their Halloween costume for their Facebook page.

Diamond Davenport, a senior communication studies major from the Bronx, helped organize this year’s “Halloween Extravaganza” on campus and in the community.

Davenport, an Alumni Engagement student intern and the president of Spark, designed fliers that are posted in many locations.

“I would like ‘Halloween Extravaganza’ to become an annual event for the Cortland community so that the children will have an opportunity to enjoy free candy, cookies and face painting,” Davenport said. “Also, so that the Cortland community will have the opportunity to view the Parks Alumni House.”

For more information on the Parks Alumni House event, contact Davenport.

Prepared by public relations intern Jessica McFadden