WYOMISSING, Pa. — What does Halloween mean to you? Costumes, candy, and trick-or-treating? Hayrides, haunted houses, and horror stories?  Penn State Berks will bring the truth to light on what many consider the most mysterious holiday of the year when the college presents “The Truth About Halloween” at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 25, in the Perkins Student Center Auditorium. This presentation is free and open to the public.

Discover the myths and legends behind Halloween as Erica Pulaski, director of enrollment management; Michele Ramsey, associate professor of communication arts and sciences and women's studies, and Cheryl Nicholas, associate professor of communication arts and sciences and global studies discuss this sacred holiday

All three presenters are Halloween enthusiasts and share a great deal of knowledge about its history.

Pulaski organizes the college’s annual Fall Fest, which includes costumes and trick-or-treating for children and "witching hour" haunted tours for adults.

Professor Ramsey teaches a course titled “Rhetoric of American Horror Films.” She and Professor Nicholas have organized student trips to Salem, Massachusetts, to study the witch trials of 1692.

For Nicholas, one of her main areas of research deals with Hantu (ghosts) in her homeland of Malaysia, how people of different faiths and cultures have adopted ghosts into everyday life, and how those ghosts can be used to explore fears and taboos in society.

Penn State Berks reserves the right to limit the photography and/or recording of any program. The permitted or prohibited activities during a particular program will be announced at the beginning of the event and/or included in the printed program. All media requesting interviews and/or access to photograph and/or tape any program must contact the Office of Strategic Communications at 610-396-6053.

This event is sponsored by the Penn State Berks Arts and Lecture series. For more information, contact the Office of Campus Life at 610-396-6076.