Students trick or treat for charity
November 10, 2008
STARKVILLE, Miss. —Starkville residents got a surprise Halloween night when they greeted trick-or-treaters. Instead of the usual array of pint sized ghost, goblins and witches, many locals found their doorsteps crowded with costume-clad engineers trick-or-treating for charity.
Disregarding the holiday’s traditional treats, student members of Tau Beta Pi collected canned goods for the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry.
“At first people were taken aback to see college students dressed-up trick-or-treating, but once we explained what we were doing they were happy to help,” explained chapter president William Cleveland.
The group of 12 students collected over 130 items for the food pantry. Cleveland, a senior in aerospace engineering, explained that while unresponsive residences discouraged the group at first, the outpouring of generosity found down the street made the trip worth it.
“We had a lot of fun. One family had recently switch diets so they donated a lot and most people gave us candy even though that wasn’t our purpose,” Cleveland said. “This was a great way for us to give back to the community while still enjoying the Halloween spirit.”
Tau Beta Pi is a national engineering honor society. In addition to recognizing academic excellence, the MSU chapter also has a strong service aspect. In addition to community service projects, students routinely participate in educational outreach endeavors.