Spooky Sights Mark Halloween in Lynn Hall

November 4, 2022

Members of the Veterinary Nursing Program team played the parts of the Peanuts Gang on Halloween in Lynn Hall (front row, left-right) Holly McCalip as Pig-Pen, Rachel Kelly as Snoopy, Dr. Chad Brown as Charlie Brown; (back row, left-right) Angela Arellano as Linus with blanket, Beth Laffoon as Woodstock, Pam Phegley as Peppermint Patty and Jennifer Smith at Lucy. — Members of the Veterinary Nursing Program team played the parts of the Peanuts Gang on Halloween in Lynn Hall (front row, left-right) Holly McCalip as Pig-Pen, Rachel Kelly as Snoopy, Dr. Chad Brown as Charlie Brown; (back row, left-right) Angela Arellano as the blanket-toting Linus, Beth Laffoon as Woodstock, Pam Phegley as Peppermint Patty and Jennifer Smith as Lucy.

Halloween made for an especially festive Monday in Lynn Hall this week, with a variety of costumed characters and Halloween happenings marking the occasion at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. Among the notable sightings was that of the Peanuts Gang, led by Charlie Brown, aka Dr. Chad Brown, director of Veterinary Nursing Programs and clinical associate professor. He was, of course, accompanied by others on the “team,” including Snoopy (Rachel Kelly, academic advisor), Woodstock (Beth Laffoon, RVT, instructional technologist), Peppermint Patty (Pam Phegley, RVT, clinical rotation/mentorship coordinator), Pig-Pen (Holly McCalip, RVT, instructional technologist), the blanket-toting Linus (Angela Arellano, VN Program administrative assistant) and Lucy (Jennifer Smith, RVT, RLAT, instructional technologist).

Another spooky twist Monday came courtesy of the Diagnostic Imaging Team’s Halloween Dessert Bake-Off. With Harry Potter themed decorations and characters, the setting for the Bake-off definitely looked appropriate! The judging was by popular vote, with some 100 votes cast in each of two categories. Second-year Small Animal Internal Medicine Resident, Dr. Nicole Gibbs, took top honors in the “Best Design” category for her “dirt pudding graveyard;” and Versa Technologist Torrie Shackelford won the prize for Best Taste with her Oreo and Reese’s dessert cheeseballs.

The “dirt pudding graveyard” by second-year Small Animal Internal Medicine Resident, Dr. Nicole Gibbs, won for “Best Design” in the Halloween Bake-Off. — The “dirt pudding graveyard” by second-year Small Animal Internal Medicine Resident, Dr. Nicole Gibbs, won Best Design” in the Halloween Bake-Off.

Versa Technologist Torrie Shackelford’s Oreo and Reese's dessert cheeseballs claimed the prize for “Best Taste.” — Versa Technologist Torrie Shackelford’s Oreo and Reese’s dessert cheeseballs claimed the prize for “Best Taste.”

Costumed canines in the Canine Educators Halloween Parade followed a parade route that led them in front of Lynn Hall Friday afternoon, October 28.

Another Halloween-related event took place Friday, October 28, as the Canine Educators Halloween Parade traversed Memorial Mall on campus. With the Canine Educator Care Team alongside, the costumed dogs in the parade loved being the center of attention. The parade participants gathered for a group photo when they arrived at Lynn Hall around 4:15 that afternoon. Following the event, voting commenced for the best costumes. Congratulations to the following winners!

1st Place: “Jurassic Bark” featuring Freedom, Cleo and Twitch
2nd Place: “Charlotte’s Web” featuring Charlotte and Ollie
3rd Place: a tie between “Barnyard” featuring Angus, Kwame and Curly Sue, and “Candy and Donut” featuring Mary Francis

First place costume winners “Jurassic Bark” featuring Freedom, Cleo and Twitch.

“Charlotte’s Web” featuring Charlotte and Ollie won 2nd place in the costume contest.

The Canine Educators Program at Purdue provides opportunities for DVM students to interact with dogs that help them learn important skills such as how to perform physical exams. At the end of each year, the Canine Educators are adopted.

Recent Stories

Take a jog with a dog for a good cause!

Building on the growing success of a long-running community event and Purdue Veterinary Conference tradition, organizers of the 2026 Dr. Skip Jackson Dog Jog are excited about prospects for a great turnout at this year’s run/walk coming up the morning of Saturday, September 26. And there’s still time to register and participants are welcome whether they are jogging with or without a dog or want to run with an adoptable shelter dog.

PVM well-represented by students, faculty and staff at annual AABP meeting

The American Association of Bovine Practitioners’ (AABP) 59th Annual Conference last month in Minneapolis, Minnesota, included significant representation from the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. A total of 17 students from the 2nd- and 3rd-year classes attended along with faculty and staff and Purdue Veterinary Medicine alumni. Two Purdue veterinary students received special recognition.

In Memory: Dr. Kevin Thomas Schultz (PU DVM ’76)

The Purdue Veterinary Medicine community is saddened to learn of the passing of an alumnus, Dr. Kevin T. Schultz of Dawsonville, Georgia, on August 15, 2026. He was 74.

In Memory: Mair Lewis – former Purdue Veterinary Medicine First Lady

Mair Lewis (née Harris-Hughes), the widow of the late Dr. Hugh Bilson Lewis – the fourth dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine – is remembered with appreciation and admiration by the Purdue Veterinary Medicine community after her passing September 7, 2026, in Vancouver, Washington. She was 83.

“Paws Up” for Dr. Kenitra Hendrix and Dr. Craig Bowen – brought to you by the the PVM Wellness Committee

This week we share appreciation for Dr. Kenitra Hendrix, Associate Dean for the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories, and Dr. Craig Bowen, Associate Director of the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and Department Head of Accessioning.