CSE celebrates spooky season

November 1, 2024
CSE’s fall festivities included its annual door decorating contest, office trick-or-treating, and a grad student gathering.

The CSE community marked the fall season with a series of fun events, featuring spooky decor, sweet treats galore, and social activities. 

The autumn traditions began with CSE’s annual door decorating contest, which invited faculty, staff, and students to deck out their office doors in the trappings of their choosing. This year’s doors ranged from humorous to downright terrifying. Participants voted for their favorite designs and gathered for an announcement of the four winning doors on Halloween day, while enjoying a variety of sweet treats. 

The Graduate Programs suite of offices (3909) claimed first prize with an elaborate Beetlejuice-inspired design. In second came 3820 with a detailed rendition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, complete with a 3D model of the famed vampire. Office 3717 took third with an autumnal tree design that played on the concept of the binary tree. And in fourth came 3808, which was adorned with a spooky spider web.

Office 2773

Office 2808

Office 3909

Office 3909

Office 3832

Office 3820

Office 3808

Office 3717

Office 3709

Office 3913

The celebrations also included trick-or-treating, with several offices around the Beyster Building offering candy to visitors in costume. This year’s costumes did not disappoint: a hair metal rockstar straight out of the 80s, Weird Barbie, and a certain local lawyer of billboard fame were all spotted.

Later on Halloween day, the Graduate Programs Office held an open house, where CSE grad students and other community members enjoyed yummy snacks and a variety of fun activities. 

Four women standing talking, holding plates with snacks in an office hallway
CSE staff chat while enjoying some sweet treats
Three woman stand, smiling at the camera
Ana Maria Kowalski, Christa Carr, and Amanda Feaganes enjoying the CSE Halloween gathering
A man and woman stand side-by-side, holding up their hands in a "rock" sign. The man is dressed as 80s hair band rock star, wearing a long, wavy blond wig and black leather jacket. The woman is wearing a black outfit with black fairy wings.
Diane and Steve Crang in Halloween regalia.
A crowd of about a dozen CSE staff members applauding
CSE community members applaud the winning doors.
A crowd of about a dozen people stand in a semicircle in the 3rd floor alcove of Beyster, some of them wearing Halloween costumes
Faculty, staff, and students gathered to hear the winners of the door decorating contest announced.
A man in a blonde wig stands staring intensely and pointing at the camera. Behind his head he holds a piece of cardboard that reads "Joumana is always watching"
Michael Farrell came dressed as personal injury lawyer Joumana Kayrouz, a common sight on area billboards.

CSE wishes everyone a very happy fall season!