From a lightsaber battle with the Mothman to a trio of witches and a fully stocked Farmer’s Market Booth, the halls of McCarty Hall A are bound to surprise you every October during the Agricultural Economics Club’s annual Halloween Walkthrough Event. And yet, the one thing that can be counted on during this event is a fun, community building experience which is why the club was once again recognized at the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association Annual Meeting this year with the Creative Club Award.
The Halloween walkthrough, which features door decorations, faculty in costumes, and treats and prizes for students who complete a punch card, was originally created in 2023 to provide a casual environment for faculty-student interactions.
“Our original goal with this event was to make meeting faculty a little less daunting,” said Caleb Stair, instructional associate professor of Food & Resource Economics and advisor to the Ag. Econ Club. “Sure, talking to your professor can be intimidating…but maybe less so if they are in a bigfoot costume.”
Since then, it has become one of the club’s most popular annual traditions, with new improvements made every year. This is the second year in a row that the club has been recognized by AAEA for their efforts.
“Seeing how we’ve been awarded at this level over the past few years at this conference is a testament to the growth of our organization, and it feels amazing that others can see the value in the community we’ve built here at a national scale,” said Morgan Smith, FRE alumni and past president of the Ag. Econ Club.
In addition to seasonal social events, the Ag. Econ Club provides a variety of opportunities for community building and professional networking, bringing in alumni as guest speakers and hosting events such as study sessions and resume building workshops.
“I gained a lot of exposure to the ag industry through Ag Econ Club by hearing from industry professionals, getting advice from alumni and faculty, and being inspired by my fellow students and their aspirations,” Smith said.
As we move forward into a new academic year, the Agricultural Economics Club is looking forward to welcoming in members new and old for events like the Halloween walkthrough while continuing to expand their programming into new areas.
“Our Halloween Walkthrough is an annual highlight around here so that will definitely be staying around, but I am especially excited about integrating more service opportunities into our club programming this year,” said Emma Young, senior in Food and Resource Economics and current Ag. Econ Club President.
For students interested in getting involved, the first meeting of the Fall 2026 semester will be held on Wednesday, August 26 at 4 P.M. in McCarty Hall, where the Ag. Econ Club will be starting the semester off strong with an Ice Cream Social event.
“If you are interested in joining, even if you are not an FRE student, we would love to have you!” Young said. “Come find us tabling around campus and keep an eye on our Instagram (uf.ag.econ.club) for all our upcoming events.”
You can also email club advisor Dr. Caleb Stair for more information.
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