Registered Student Organizations and groups of friends gathered Monday to get into the fall spirit by painting pumpkins with Eastern President David Glassman.

Student Government hosted Pumpkins with the Prez, an activity that is a part of Prowlin’ with the Prez, in the University Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

The activity was originally scheduled to be hosted in the Library Quad, but was moved indoors due to weather conditions.

As the students painted their pumpkins, Halloween music played in the background. Snacks and hot cider were also provided.

Chloe St. Pierre, a senior family and consumer science major, said she was representing her sorority, Alpha Sigma Tau by attending.

St. Pierre said her sorority usually sends a couple of its members to attend every Prowlin’ with the Prez activity.

“I think events like this are a good way for RSOs and individuals to get involved and for people to hang out with the president,” St. Pierre said.

St. Pierre said most of their members were not artistic, so they were there to have fun.

Alpha Sigma Tau had three different pumpkins in the competition, and St. Pierre and her friend painted their pumpkin to look like a watermelon.

Other pumpkins were designed as Jack Skellington painted by a group of friends, a Dia de los Muertos design painted by the Latin American Student Organization and Eastern’s castle painted by Sigma Sigma Sigma.

Prowlin’ with the Prez hosts two or more activities that students can participate in to give them a chance to mingle with Glassman.

Glassman said one of the most popular Prowlin’ with the Prez activities is getting to make Valentine’s Day cards for senior citizens in February.

“These events are always fun, and they bring students together from different organizations and different parts of campus,” Glassman said. “They give me an opportunity to get to mingle with the students and share some time and some fun.”

Rebecca Cash, vice president for academic affairs, is in charge of planning Prowlin’ with the Prez.

“It’s a great way for students to interact, hangout with each other and get to know new organizations,” Cash said.

Cash said Prowlin’ with the Prez gives students an opportunity to take advantage of their college experience, as well as get away from schoolwork for a while.

Cash said she chose pumpkin painting because they did pumpkin carving last year, and she wanted to put her own spin on it.

“Plus, my birthday is two days after Halloween, so I’ve got to get into the spirit somehow,” Cash said.

As he mingled with all of the students participating in the painting, Glassman did not hesitate to take a couple of selfies with those who asked him.

Glassman said the best part of his time is when he shares it with students.

“Rather than judging it myself, and I do this for all events like this, I let the participants clap to vote, and whoever gets the most claps is the winner,” Glassman said. “That also takes the blame off me, and nobody can get mad at me for not picking their pumpkin.”

Each group chose a representative to talk about their pumpkin and explain why they painted it the way they did, and then everyone proceeded to vote.

In the end, LASO won the best pumpkin for their Dia de los Muertos design and received a $25 gift card to Buffalo Wild Wings.

“My hope was that the organization would get to hang out more after the event and spend some more time together,” Cash said.

Travis Moody can be reached at 581-2812 or at tlmoody@eiu.edu.