by Christian Cintron ’28 on November 6, 2025
News
On Sunday, Nov. 2, Student Congress’ Committee on Outreach held their annual Pumpkinfest in collaboration with other on-campus clubs and organizations. The event took place on Aquinas Lawn and was open to parents and their children from the surrounding community to attend and participate in various autumn and Halloween-related activities. These activities included the Board of Programmers holding a contest to accurately guess the number of candy corn in a jar in exchange for a $250 gift certificate to the campus bookstore, the Board of Multicultural Student Affairs providing turkey hand prints and coloring sheets, Friars Club assisting with pumpkin and face painting, Campus Ministry helping with candle painting, and culminating in the 02908 Club taking the children trick-or-treating down Eaton Street.
The first Pumpkinfest was held in 2009 and has been a long-standing tradition due to its promotion of engagement with the greater Providence area and principles of giving back to the community that the PC campus is built on. A remarkable connection between PC students and the children and parents of the local community isn’t always frequent, so Pumpkinfest serves the purpose of bridging the gap between the campus and surrounding neighborhoods. Not only has Pumpkinfest brought these two communities together, but it has also immersed the student population in further internal collaboration, with several clubs being able to unite for the common purpose of serving the Providence community and coordinating a fun, memorable experience.
The turnout for Pumpkinfest was significant, and attendees seemed to enjoy the event’s festivities and lively atmosphere. In addition to the club-sponsored activities, refreshments such as pizza, cookies, and apple cider were provided, with music boosting the lawn’s positive ambience. One parent in attendance, Ben Kelly, brought his four children to enjoy Pumpkinfest, expressing that “Pumpkinfest has been a perfect end to Halloweekend.” He further praised the event’s welcoming nature towards his children, stating that, “It’s a special opportunity to see the community of students welcoming families in the neighborhood and an awesome way of giving back.”
Claire Daly ’26 is the chair of Student Congress’ Committee on Outreach and plays a large role in directing the event’s organization and execution. She found the process of arranging the event to be exciting, appreciating how helpful faculty, other student organizations, and the 02908 Club were in the undertaking. Connecting with the community and seeing the children in attendance excited to be on a college campus and enjoying trick-or-treating proved to be gratifying for her, along with conversing with PC alumni who attended with their children. The goals of the Committee for the event were met, and Daly loved to see students, children, and parents having a good time. The work and collaborative efforts with the Committee on Outreach was an especially delightful aspect of the event for Daly, who exclaimed, “My committee is amazing!”