101 Students Make Halloween Special for Local Families
Alvernia University's Residence Hall Association (RHA) hosted its annual Trunk-or-Treat on Thursday, October 30, 2025, drawing over 250 local attendees. Alvernia students, professors and staff transformed Bernardine Hall into a festive Halloween hub.
"RHA's Trunk-or-Treat has become something that students, staff, faculty, and the community look forward to each year," said RHA Staff Advisor, Avery Bailey, area coordinator for the Office of Residence Life. "This year, we were able to collaborate with some campus partners, like Pack Hospitality, to make the event an even bigger hit. Even though the weather threw a wrench in things, the students adapted and made the best of it. It is always incredible to see the impact that these students have on those around them and on the community."
Alvernia's dining partner, Pack Hospitality, curated a special fall menu at Kestrel Cafe for purchase the event. 101 student volunteers dressed up in costumes and set up 45 decked-out tables to welcome the families. For many, the event is a highlight of the fall semester.
"This is my third year participating in it, and each year it gets better and better," said Vice President of RHA, Julia Lawson. "We work really hard throughout the semester to make this an amazing, fun experience for the kids. I love seeing all the costumes and giving back to the community. This event wouldn't be possible without the hard work from RHA, Residence Life, and all of our volunteers."
That sense of excitement was shared across campus. Additionally, students earned community service hours for participating in the event, which count toward their graduation requirements.
"Trunk-or-Treat was an awesome event this year," said Michael Peffer, a student participant. "Everyone was having a good time, especially all of the volunteers and everyone who set up a table. It was a great event and a lot of people showed up, and seemed to be really happy to be there."
The goal of RHA is to advocate for all the students living in university housing to have the best residential experience possible and to help build a stronger residential community on campus through programming. RHA gives students, such as Lawson and Peffer, additional leadership responsibilities on campus, in addition to their roles as Resident Assistants.
