Friday, Oct. 25, Alma Mater Productions invited students at the College of William and Mary to unwind and rejuvenate with pumpkin painting, puppy petting and a cake walk on the Sunken Garden. This event, aptly named “Puppies & Pumpkins,” encouraged students across the College to find some time to decompress after midterms season.
The event was hosted in collaboration with the Heritage Humane Society, a Williamsburg based non-profit whose stated mission is to serve as compassionate stewards of animals that are in transition from being strays or being surrendered to being given forever homes.
The Puppies & Pumpkins event was specifically organized by AMP’s Special Events Committee, a group in charge of bringing new and never-before-seen events to the College. AMP Special Events Committee Chair Hailey Fisher ’27 shared the inspiration behind the day’s theme, noting that the committee’s intention was to merge festive fall elements with something new and exciting.
“Our goal as a committee was to have something that was fall themed and festive, but also a little bit stress relieving at the end of the week — something that people could walk onto Sunken and just pop in to enjoy,” Fisher said. “I love that we get to see students enjoy all different types of events.”
All across the Sunken Garden, students gathered on picnic blankets with their friends and peers to enjoy an afternoon of pumpkin painting. AMP supplied attendees with a wide selection of pumpkins and art supplies, like a rainbow of paints and an assortment of brushes, for them to decorate. Participants decorated their pumpkins with a variety of designs, with some opting for small Halloween-themed cartoons and motifs and others decorating their pumpkins with images that reflected their own personalities.
Many students participated in the cake walks, or competitions often involving dancing where the winner is given a cake as a prize. This took place throughout the entirety of the event, and it included various desserts and sweet treats like cookies, pumpkin pies and other cakes which were spread on display for students to compete for. Music flowed through the air, leading students to dance and play with their friends all throughout the afternoon.
According to many attendees, however, the real stars of the show were the variety of dogs playfully running around, including the well-known corgis that pay weekly visits to the College’s Earl Gregg Swem Library. Border Collies dashed across the area, while sleepy labradors welcomed the affection of excited students. Several of the puppies were also dressed in Halloween costumes.
One little dachshund named Max, sporting a College cypher collar, quickly became a crowd favorite. His owners designed personalized matching graphic T-shirts with photographs of him, adding a touch that students expressed as memorable. But for many at the event, Max wasn’t the only dog who made it so enjoyable.
“I really liked all the puppies,” attendee Sunny Kuregov ’28 said. “I thought it was really cute and it made me smile a lot.”
Many participants expressed that they felt the event was more than just a fun afternoon — it was a way to relax and support their own mental health during a time of high academic pressure. Kuregov spoke to how the event made her feel, following her first busy midterm season at the College.
“I’ve been spending a lot of time, even just earlier today, thinking about my midterms and studying for them,” Kuregov said. “It was just a really nice opportunity to get out in the sunshine and take a break.”
Kuregov additionally reflected on how she feels that events like the Puppies & Pumpkins event impact the greater student body.
“I think they’re really great for boosting morale around campus,” Kuregov said. “I think that I would definitely attend more of them, because it got us out of the routine of just class and dorm. It was a good opportunity to meet people and have fun and take a break.”
Attendee Nina Olshansky ’28 reflected on the effects she felt these AMP community events have on the College community as a whole.
“I really like when there’s lots of things to do on campus, because it makes campus feel bigger and more full of life,” Olshansky said. “I think they’re one of the best things campus has to offer.”
Altogether, the event was deemed a success by both attendees and those who organized it, with several attendees confirming their excitement and willingness to attend similar events in the future.