2009-11-04
A group of students from the University of Rio Grande held a special Halloween event for Rio Grande Elementary School students recently.
The Rio Grande Psychology Club sponsored the activity as a community service project and also as a fun event for the club members and the elementary school students.
The Psychology Club was started on campus in 2003, and this year the students in the organization are trying to make the club more active than it has ever been.
The organization is led by President Kenny Bonifas, and it meets weekly to discuss different topics and plan events.
Vice President Ashley Pasquale explained that the community service project at Rio Grande Elementary School was a pumpkin decorating contest for the students. The club members took pumpkins to the school so that each class could decorate one. The class members had to decide exactly how they wanted to decorate their pumpkins, and then they worked on the project together.
“They all did a really good job,” Pasquale said.
The club members recruited Rio Grande President Dr. Barbara Gellman-Danley and Rio Grande faculty members Ellen Brasel and Heather Duda to serve as judges for the contest. The classes were not allowed to carve their pumpkins, but they were allowed to decorate them in many different ways.
“The winning pumpkin was a clown,” Pasquale said. The winning class received a pizza party and had the chance to hear from the new Rio Grande President. Dr. Gellman-Danley spoke to the students about what type of things they wanted to do when they grow up, she stressed how important an education is and she asked them all about if they are planning to go to college.
“It all turned out really well,” Pasquale said.
The Rio Grande Psychology Club currently has nearly 15 members, and the group is looking for other interested students.
“It’s open to any student on campus, not just psychology majors,” Pasquale said, adding that the members just need to share an interest in psychology.
During the school year, the club will be involved in community events like the pumpkin decorating contest, and they also plan on bringing speakers to campus. Pasquale is hoping to organize a community service project event at Christmas, and she said the club also may enter the “Psychology Jeopardy” competition at Marshall University.
Among the speakers the club is interested in bringing to campus is a child psychologist, who would be of interest to people both on and off campus.
The club meets on Wednesdays in Wood Hall at both 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., in order to best meet the schedule needs of the members. Anyone interested in joining is invited to e-mail Pasquale for more information at s606768@students.rio.edu, or call Professor Edward Sofranko, who serves as an advisor for the club, at 1-800-282-7201.
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