Halloween PVM-Style: A Retrospective

November 8, 2024

Spider Smash Cookies (Peanut Butter Cookies with Reese's Cups and Chocolate Frosting) were made for the Halloween Dessert Baking Contest by Diagnostic Imaging Veterinary Technologist Sierra Armbruster, RVT. — Spider Smash Cookies (peanut butter cookies with Reese’s cups and chocolate frosting) were made for the Halloween Dessert Baking Contest by Diagnostic Imaging Veterinary Technologist Sierra Armbruster, RVT.

The College of Veterinary Medicine wrapped-up the month of October in style, with some of the more adventurous faculty and staff taking advantage of the chance to don festive costumes and bake-up scary treats! The college’s Halloween Happenings on October 31 included the ever popular Halloween Dessert Baking Contest hosted by the team in the Veterinary Hospital’s Diagnostic Imaging Service, and a surprise appearance by characters from the new Inside Out 2 movie, who looked suspiciously like members of the Purdue Veterinary Nursing Programs Team.

The Veterinary Nursing Programs Office was creatively decorated for the day with appropriate sights and sounds that provided a fitting backdrop for the costumed team members. Check out their picture and see if you can tell, before reading the caption, which Purdue Veterinary Nursing Programs “stars” played which Inside Out characters. Hint – some personalities matched their chosen “emotion” better than others!

Characters who looked like they walked off the Inside Out 2 movie set gathered outside the Purdue Veterinary Nursing Programs Office in Lynn Hall (Front row, left-right): Anxiety (Jennifer Smith), Sadness (Holly Englert), Anger (Dr. Chad Brown), Joy (Beth Laffoon); (Back Row, left-right): “Apathy” (not actually an Inside Out character but it was the emotion “claimed” by Josh Clark), Nostalgia (Angella Arellano), Ennui (Chantalle Brown), Embarrassment (Holly McCalip), Disgust (Pam Phegley), and Envy (Taryn Adams).

Halloween decorations also marked the location of the Halloween Dessert Baking Contest where fearsome sweet treats were evaluated on the basis of design and taste. The competition showcased the impressive creativity and culinary skills of PVM students, staff and faculty. Participants entered baked goods in five categories—cakes, breads/muffins, pies, cookies, and “other” desserts.

Congratulations to Small Animal Internal Medicine Veterinary Technologist Bri Kerr, who’s entry called Franken Pops won the overall “Best Design” award, and Veterinary Technician Brittney McDonald, who took the top honor in the Best Taste category for her Caramel Apple Cookies. Winners in each category received a traveling trophy as well as a year of bragging rights. The complete list of winning entries is as follows:

Best Design Winners:

Overall Best Design: Franken Pops by Bri Kerr, SAIM
Muffins/Breads: Oreo Spider by Donna Tudor, DXI
Pies: Apple Crisp by Lydia Trott, DXI
Cookies: Canine Crispy Creation by Dr. Stephanie Thomovsky, Neurology
Other: Blood Bag by Bri Kerr, SAIM

Best Taste Winners:

Overall Best Taste: Caramel Apple Cookies by Brittney McDonald, DXI
Cakes: Franken Pops by Bri Kerr, SAIM
Muffins: Pumpkin Bread by Jessica DeSutter, SAIM
Pies: Apple Crisp by Lydia Trott, DXI
Other: Blood Bag by Bri Kerr, SAIM

Small Animal Internal Medicine Veterinary Technologist Bri Kerr, RVT, holds one of her Franken Pops that won the top prize in the Best Design category of the Halloween Dessert Baking Contest.

And then, even those just looking to buy some good food on Halloween had the opportunity to interact with a costumed character, since, who should show-up at the Continuum Café on Halloween morning but “Cheech” from “Cheech and Chong.” Or wait, was that really Cheech? When the person behind the counter with the distinctive mustache smiled, you couldn’t help but think that maybe it actually was Café staff member Rebecca Watkins.

“Cheech” – aka Rebecca Watkins – was ready to serve Continuum Café customers on Halloween.

In the end the winners on Halloween in Lynn Hall were all the people who had their day brightened by their colleagues, co-workers and friends who participated in all the Halloween Happenings in and around the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Writer(s): Nathan Dell, Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Recent Stories

Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s Connection with Wildlife Rescue in Guatemala Highlighted during International Education Week

Hidden amid the dense forests near the shores of Lake Petén Itzá, the ARCAS Wildlife Rescue Center is one of Central America’s most active sanctuaries for endangered and trafficked wildlife. In addition to their conservation efforts, ARCAS (Asociación de Rescate y Conservación de Vida Silvestre) offers unparalleled hands-on experience for veterinary and biology students from around the world. The Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine has proudly collaborated with ARCAS for many years, and International Education Week this week (November 16-22) provided the perfect opportunity to showcase this invaluable educational partnership.

Immersive Mixed Reality Experience Helps Purdue Veterinary Students Learn Cardiac Physiology

First year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine recently stepped into a new era of learning — an immersive Mixed Reality (MR) experience at Purdue’s Envision Center. This cutting-edge session allowed students to interact with a dynamic, 3D representation of the heart, deepening their understanding of cardiac physiology in ways traditional methods cannot match.

Feathered Fame: Purdue Veterinary Medicine Research Featured on Journal Cover

The Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences (VCS) at Purdue University is proud to announce that a recent study from its anesthesiology team has been selected as the cover feature for Veterinary Sciences (MDPI), Volume 12, Issue 11. Chosen from among 82 articles, the publication highlights the College of Veterinary Medicine’s growing impact in avian clinical research.

“Paws Up” – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

Time to shine a spotlight on some “paws-itively” amazing work by one of our newest Purdue Veterinary Medicine staff members, Jennifer Hartman, VCS Curriculum Technologist in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences.

“Paws Up” – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

Today we are highlighting Rebecca Hoffman, BS, RVT, who is a veterinary technologist with the Bovine Field Service.

Learning Specialist Joins PVM Student Success Center Team

Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s Student Success Center is pleased to welcome Kelsey Luse Spille, who joined the team Monday, November 4, as a learning specialist. In her new role, she will be supporting students with their academic needs while also serving as a member of the Veterinary Education Support Team (VEST), which assists faculty in developing inclusive teaching practices.

Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine Hosts Reception to Welcome New Dean Bret Marsh

Faculty, staff and students gathered at a reception in the Veterinary Medical Library Friday, November 8, to help extend a warm welcome the new dean of the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Bret Marsh. The event marked the conclusion of the first week on the job for Dr. Marsh, who just started in the role Monday, November 4, after wrapping-up 30 years of service as Indiana State Veterinarian – the state’s top-ranking animal health leader.

Awareness Week to Shine Spotlight on Antimicrobial Resistance Next Week

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing, significant One Health issue across the world. The WHO estimates that AMR was directly responsible for 1.27 million global deaths and contributed to 4.95 million deaths, with additional significant economic costs. AMR affects all countries and all income groups, and to tackle this urgent problem, researchers, producers, and practitioners from all areas must address the critical shortage of new antimicrobial drugs, and the use of antimicrobial drugs in medicine, farming, and industry. The week of November 18-24 is US Antibiotic Awareness Week and World AMR Awareness Week, and the College of Veterinary Medicine is taking advantage of these national and global campaigns to raise awareness about AMR and antimicrobial stewardship, and to highlight some of the research and practices being conducted at the college to address AMR.

PVM Faculty Honored for Research Success with Purdue Seed for Success Acorn Awards

When Purdue University’s Office of Research honored the accomplishments and innovative ideas of a host of researchers this week, several Purdue Veterinary Medicine scholars were among those recognized. At a ceremony Wednesday, November 14, in the Purdue Memorial Union North and South Ballrooms, the annual Seed for Success Acorn Awards were presented to Purdue Principal Investigators (PIs) and co-PIs who secured research awards of $1 million or more for a single proposal in fiscal year 2024.

Unlocking the Mysteries of the Brain

Despite more than six decades of research in the field of neuroscience, many functions of the brain — the most complex organ in the human body — remain a mystery. Recent research conducted in the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine and the Bindley Bioscience Center revealed that scientists are one step closer to understanding the process that activates and deactivates specific proteins within our cells. This breakthrough could one day lead to enhanced treatments that may slow down or perhaps reverse the advance of neurogenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis.