The First-Generation Scholars society hosted and ran an on campus haunted house on Oct. 21. It was located at the Student Success Center on Donaghey Avenue. 

The event ran from 6 to 8 p.m. and included not only a haunted house experience, but also snacks, smores and a popcorn machine for students in line and after the main attraction. 

First Gen students had admission fees waived. 

Non First-Gen students could either pay a five-dollar fee or donate menstrual products.

Early in the evening, the haunted house faced an unexpected challenge when the fire alarm sounded shortly after opening. 

The First-Gen Scholars quickly worked with the university police department to reset the system and ensure safety. 

Within minutes, the volunteers were back on track, guiding groups of students through the spooky experience after each participant signed a waiver.

Quenaisa McCrary, a junior majoring in English Education and the Director of Information Communications for the First-Gen Scholars Society, led the planning and execution of the haunted house. 

McCrary said the project meant a lot to her.

“This [event] is my baby,” McCrary said. “This is my event. I have never done a haunted house before, so I’m really stressed, but we already heard some screams when this is just — that’s just a second group. The first two groups already were screaming. It’s terrifying.”

McCrary said the event not only provided participants with an experience of a haunted house, but also donated to a good cause.

“And we’re donating,” McCrary said. “We wanted to have fun for Halloween while also doing a good cause, that’s why we’re doing a menstrual drive.”

McCrary said, “Student Success has been a very big help, letting us use their building offices to student success, letting us to use their supplies.”

Dozens of students showed up, hearing the screams of the groups before them. 

The repurposed Student Success Center utilized its long hallways and turns to maximize the very limited space of the whole event. 

Students would have twists and turns with unexpected horrors behind any given turn, with volunteer scare actors behind masks and makeup ready to scare groups of students at a time.

Mia Montalva, a freshman nursing student who had just finished the haunted house, said, “The actors were really good. I really get scared by jump scares, I’m honestly terrified. I was not expecting a lot, but it was terrifying.”

Volunteer scare actors hid behind doors, furniture and even under desks in order to keep students guessing where the next scare would be coming from. 

Students found themselves cornered by scary clowns and dolls with another scare actor following and screaming behind them to usher them along.

“I’m so proud of my community members, because without them, I would not be able to do this. This is my first time, and they have given me so many resources … All [of] these ideas are theirs.” McCary said.