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).
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.
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.
“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

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