This past week, fall events at California Lutheran University could be found from the Spine to Samuelson Chapel. Campus Ministry, Latin American Students Organization, Happiness Club and resident assistants all hosted festivities to get students excited about Halloween.

In their second year of collaboration, Campus Ministry and LASO hosted a sugar skull-making event on Thursday, Oct. 17 outside Samuelson Chapel. Students and faculty were encouraged to participate.

LASO Co-Presidents Jackie Tovar-Bernal and Leslie Madrigal said the event was shaped specifically to make participants feel the “community environment” at Cal Lutheran.

“Events like this that are also represented by other clubs are really important because, for example, the Latin American Student Organization is a cultural club, so just by bringing in that cultural awareness and bringing along that diversity to campus … we just wanted to showcase our culture and also just share it and teach others about it,” Madrigal said.

Campus Minister Hazel Salazar-Davidson said she wanted this event to feel welcoming to everyone, especially those that may feel discouraged to attend by the religious or cultural aspect of the tradition.

“You see people who are our faculty, you see people who are our staff, you see students all getting together to all do this one little thing. Then you’ll see it at the altar and the festival so then it creates that sense of community and family,” Salazar-Davidson said. “It reminds us of traditions we held with our own families. I think that’s really important to be able to communicate with each other and kind of build this sense of belonging.”

The Happiness Club also shared autumn spirit this week. Co-Presidents Daniella Hazan and Katie Statema offered students walking on the Spine on Wednesday Oct. 16 the opportunity to decorate their own miniature pumpkin and grab a cup of seasonal pumpkin spice drinks.

Hazan said with Happiness Club she hopes to “do a lot of happy and inspire a lot of happy.”

Hazan also wanted to reflect positivity on the Cal Lutheran campus by creating a space for “students to come and de-stress themselves from any troubling thoughts or personal experiences,” Hazan said.

Kaitlyn Marquez, a senior at the pumpkin decorating event, said she enjoys events that involve clubs and the Cal Lutheran  community.

“The valuable thing about Cal Lutheran University is the student engagement and the fact that we get to know each other through these little activities. It’s also a good mode of stress relief, especially during midterm season,” Marquez said.

Dia de los Muertos altars will be on display around campus from Oct. 28 through Nov. 1. LASO and the Associated Students California Lutheran University Government are hosting a Dia de los Muertos event on Nov. 1 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.