Halloween looked as if it came a little early this year as more than 200 area children dressed in costumes roamed through residence halls on campus for “Safe Trick-or-Treat” on Sunday, Oct. 17.

(Check out our photographs of the “Safe Trick or Treat" event.)

“Safe Trick-or-Treat,” sponsored by The University of Scranton’s Community Outreach Office, is an annual program where children from local organizations such as Friends of the Poor and United Neighborhood Centers, as well as The University of Scranton community, trick or treat in residence halls. This year, 200 student on 44 floors in freshman and sophomore halls participated.

University students, many in costume, escorted the children through the dorms.

“This was so much fun — getting to dress up, show the kids around the dorms and see how excited they were,” said Gina Daniels, a junior occupational therapy major from Glen Mills, who served as a student escort. “The girls’ dorms were decorated over-the-top.  I think it made for a great experience for the kids.”Some of this year’s popular costumes for the children included Superman and Superwoman, Disney princesses, Scooby Doo and Elmo.

Some children dressed as their favorite athletes while others dressed as their favorite cultural icons, such as Hannah Montana. 

After trick or treating, more than 20 student-run clubs, organizations and club sport teams sponsored activity tables for the children in the McIlhenny Ballroom. Members of clubs such as the Mountain Sports Club, Men’s & Women’s Rugby, Urban Beats, Advertising Club and the Accounting Society hosted activities such as “pin the witch on the broom,” bean bag toss, face painting and temporary tattoos.