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University Staff Assembly’s Halloween Contest 2025

Get ready for some spooky fun! The University Staff Assembly invites all staff to join our annual Halloween Costume Contest on Thursday, October 30, 2025. (Please note the date change—this year’s contest will take place one day earlier than Halloween!)

Categories to sign up for:

  • Combined Office Décor and Costume - Large & Small Office categories
  • Skit / Interactive Experience
  • Office Group Costume
  • Individual Costume
  • Office Décor - Large & Small Office categories

Show off your creativity, humor, or school spirit by entering as an individual or as part of a group. Choose your contest category and get ready for this fun campuswide festive experience!

Registration

Don’t miss one of the most spirited staff events of the year—we can’t wait to see your costumes!

Registration is closed. Missed the deadline? Don't let the ghoul times pass you by - send a scare-a-gram to the team at usa@csus.edu and we will see if any late entries can sneak in.

We'll reply with next steps if there's room in the cauldron (witchful thinking welcome)!

Judges Route

Judges route and time will be published the day before. Everyone is welcome to cheer on your colleagues and enjoy the festive spirit. See table below.

Questions:

Email Amy Macias-Stowe macias-stowe@csus.edu or USA usa@csus.edu

Judges Route

Our Halloween Contest Committee - the boo-tifully fun bunch - will creep, crawl, and cackle its way across campus Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025 on a fang-tastic walkthrough. Follow the route below to catch the judges and join the boos!

The route and schedule is detailed below. Times are approximate.

Boo you soon!

Office Name Location Time (approx.) Category
Facilities Management  Facilities 9:00 am Combined Office Costume Decor
Project Rebound Sac Hall, 161 9:15 am Office Decor
Office of the Provost Sac Hall, 230 9:25 am Combined Office Costume Decor
Campus Life Programs Lassen Hall, 1010 9:45 am Combined Office Costume Decor
Registrar Lassen Hall, 2000 10:00 am Office Decor
Financial Aid/Scholarships Lassen Hall,  2100 & 2103 10:15 am Skit / Interactive Experience
Financial Aid/Scholarships Lassen Hall,  2100 & 2103 10:15 am Combined Office Costume Decor
EOP Lassen Hall, 2205 10:40 am Skit / Interactive Experience
EOP Lassen Hall, 2205 10:40 am Office Decor
School of Social Work Mariposa Hall, 4010 11:10 am Combined Office Costume Decor
English Calaveras Hall, 102 11:25 am Individual Costume
UEI - SPA Bookstore, 3400 11:35 am Combined Office Costume Decor
Committee Lunch Break 12:00 pm  
CCE Napa Hall, Lobby 1:10 pm Combined Office Costume Decor
Office of Water Programs Modoc Hall, 1001 1:35 pm Combined Office Costume Decor
Office of Water Programs Modoc Hall, 1001 1:35 pm Individual Costume
decorative image of USA Halloween Contest Flyer with info listed on the webpage

Culturally Responsive Participation | Hornet Halloween Costume Guide

When choosing to dress up, please commit to wearing a costume that contributes to a welcoming and inclusive campus environment.

Consider the following:

  • Does it mock cultural or religion symbols (e.g., dreadlocks, headdresses, afros, bindis, etc.)?
  • Does it trivialize human suffering or oppression (portraying a houseless person, or someone living in a prison or jail)?
  • Does it lean into stereotypes or attempt to represent an entire culture or ethnicity?

Usure if your costume might be offensive? Consider going in a different direction. And don't be afraid to ask questions. You can call one of the units listed below for guidance on your costume.

Combined Office Décor and Costume - Large Office

And the Winner is...

Honorable Mention: Combined Office Décor & Costume - Large Office

Academic Advising & Career Center - "Welcome to Mystery Inc."

Winner: Combined Office Décor and Costume - Small Office

And the Winner is...

Winner: Combined Office Décor and Costume - Small Office

And the Winner is...

Honorable Mention: Combined Office Décor & Costume - Small Office

And the Winner is...

Winner: Office Décor - Large Office

And the Winner is...

Honorable Mention: Office Décor - Large Office

And the Winner is...

Winner: Office Décor - Small Office

And the Winner is...

Honorable Mention: Office Décor - Small Office

And the Winner is...

Winner: Individual Costume

And the Winner is...

Honorable Mention: Individual Costume

And the Winner is...

Winner: Office Costume - Small Office

And the Winner is...

Honorable Mention: Office Costume - Small Office

And the Winner is...

Winner: Skit / Interactive Experience

And the Winner is...

Honorable Mention: Skit / Interactive Experience

And the Winner is...

Previous USA Halloween Contest Results

Expand the sections below to view last years winners and honorary mentions! Check out the level of creativity and fun from our colleagues across campus!

2024 WINNER | UEI Admin., RES, Marketing, Dining Services - "The Place to Bee" (Large Office)

UEI The Place to Bee

2024 Honorable Mention | Academic Advising & Career Center - "Welcome to Mystery Inc." (Large Office)

Academic Advising & Career Center "Welcome to Mystery Inc."

2024 WINNER - Tie | Space Management - "Three Little Pigs" (Small Office)

Space Management - "Three Little Pigs"

2024 WINNER - Tie | Office of Student Engagement College of Business - "Inside Out" (Small Office)

Office of Student Engagement College of Business - "Inside Out"

2024 Honorable Mention | Guardian Scholars Program - "The Pirates of the Haunted Hornet" (Small Office)

Guardian Scholars Program - "The Pirates of the Haunted Hornet"

2023 WINNER | Communication Studies Department “Haunted Mansion Villains”

Communication Studies Department “Haunted Mansion Villains” group in costumes in front of office decorated haunted mansion

2023 Honorable Mention | School of Social Work “Social Work Dungeon”

School of Social Work “Social Work Dungeon” group dressed in costumes in front of decorated scary dungeon office

2024 WINNER | EOP - "Castlevania"

EOP - "Castlevania"

2024 Honorable Mention | UEI - Sponsored Programs Administration - "SPA Puzzling Pumpkin Patch"

UEI - Sponsored Programs Administration - "SPA Puzzling Pumpkin Patch"

2023 WINNER | Educational Opportunity Program (EOP): "Barbie Land"

winner Educational Opportunity Program: Barbie Land staff dressed as Ken and Barbie dancing in decorated office Educational Opportunity Program: Barbie Land group posing in costumes in front of office decoration including a life-size barbie box

2023 Honorable Mention | College of Business Dean’s Office: C.O.B. Story

College of Business Dean’s Office: C.O.B. Story group dressed in costumes posing behind a COB picture frame in front of decorated Toy Story theme office

2024 WINNER | University Communications - "Land Before Time" (Small Office)

University Communications - "Land Before Time"

2024 Honorable Mention | Facilities Management - "Mario Universe"

Facilities Management - "Mario Universe"

2023 WINNER | Sponsored Programs Administration – “Milk and Cereal” (Small Office)

Sponsored Programs Administration – “Milk and Cereal” group dressed in costumes of cereal boxes and caron of milk inside building lobby area

2023 Honorable Mention | Facilities Management “Scooby Doo”

Facilities Management “Scooby Doo” group costume standing behind a photo frame and with a great dane dog in front

2024 WINNER | Michelle Goya McNeill - "Witch Doctor"

Michelle Goya McNeill - "Witch Doctor"

2024 Honorable Mention | Lanette Carrasco - "Jigsaw"

Lanette Carrasco - "Jigsaw"

2023 WINNER | Jonathon Long “The Mandalorian”

Jonathon Long in “The Mandalorian” costume

2023 Honorable Mention | Jolie Roberts “Queen Elizabeth the First”

Jolie Roberts in a “Queen Elizabeth the First” costume

2024 WINNER | Financial Aid & Scholarships - "Inside Out 2 & Escape Room" (Large Office)

Financial Aid & Scholarships - "Inside Out 2 & Escape Room"

2024 Honorable Mention | Office of the University Registrar - "Star Wars" (Large Office)

Office of the University Registrar - "Star Wars"

2024 WINNER | School of Social Work - "School of Social Work Horror Theater" (Small Office)

School of Social Work - "School of Social Work Horror Theater"

2024 Honorable Mention | University Events - "Herky's Tattoo Shop" (Small Office)

University Events - "Herky's Tattoo Shop"

2023 WINNER | Financial Aid “Spooky Hallow Mall”

Financial Aid “Spooky Hallow Mall” office desk decorated with"Vans of the nightfall" spooky theme Financial Aid “Spooky Hallow Mall” decorated "food court" spooky decoration theme

2023 Honorable Mention | Center for Teaching and Learning “Fall in Paris”

Center for Teaching and Learning “Fall in Paris” decorated bakery window display with candy in front

Center for Teaching and Learning “Fall in Paris”  coffee buffet in front of a paper tree with orange lights and leaves falling next to a bakery window display

2023 Population Research Center “Alice in Wonderland”

Population Research Center “Alice in Wonderland” group costumes in front of theme decorated office

See you next year!

The 2024 USA Halloween Contest Judging Committee would love to thank all contest participants. Our staff did a great job showcasing their creative talents! We had a wonderful day viewing all the costumes, decorations, and being scared until we screamed!

2024 USA Halloween Committee

Shannon Ainger, Chair

Amy Macias-Stowe

Ryanne Green

Madeleine Vadenais

Valerie Kelly Kerl (not pictured)

With assistance from Crystal Velazquez (not pictured)

USA 2024 Halloween Judging Committee dressed up for Mardi Gras