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Pumpkin Palooza

A Spooktacular Success at UConn Health!

See topics forRecognition

Pumpkin Palooza at UConn Health brings the spirit of fall to life with a festive mix of creativity, community, and wellness! Join us for an unforgettable afternoon featuring pumpkins, donuts, and flu shots—because nothing says autumn like a little fun and a lot of care.

UConn Health’s Pumpkin Palooza returns October 29 in the Center Courtyard, with fall vibes, artistic flair, and spirited competition! Under an autumn sky, employees, students, residents, and volunteers gather from 11 am to 1 pm to celebrate creativity, community, and all things pumpkin. With donuts and cider on hand, the treats made it a feast for both eyes and taste buds!

It’s time to reveal the winners of this year’s Pumpkin Palooza!

Thank you to everyone who carved, crafted, and voted — your creativity made this year’s event truly spooktacular.

  • 2025 Palooza Results

    First Place:

    “Warning! Don’t Eat Too Much Candy or You’ll End Up Like Me!”

    The School of Dental Medicine: Endodontics, Periodontology, and Oral/Maxillofacial Diagnostic Sciences

    Second Place (Tie):

    Pumpkin Pain Scale - UConn Nursing Students

    “The Angry Pumpkin Aneurysm” - Vascular Surgery Department

    Third Place:

    Pumpkin’s First Tubby Time - The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

    Superlative Awards

    • Pumpkin Paparazzi Award - Smile, You’re on Camera from the Communications Team
    • Most Explosive Creativity Award - Zombie Research Assistant from the Clinical Research Center
    • Best Celebrity Pun-Kin Award - Sharon Stumpkin from Anatomic Pathology
    • Best Monster Mash-Up Award - Monster’s University from the Department of Orthodontics
    • Ghoul of Governance Award - The IR Boo! From the IRB Team
    • Pumpkin Up the Volume Award  - DJ Pumpkin from the Office of Patient Experience
    • Beary Best Pun-Kin Award - Clinical Trials are the Bear Necessities of Cancer Research from the Clinical Trials Office
    • Pumpkin a la Carte Award - Project Search Food Bar from Project Search
    • Most Disco-tacular Display Award - “Pumpkin” Up the Volume from Inpatient Rehab
    • Pasture Perfection Award - Epic and Equinus from the HR Labor Relations Team
    • Most Bone-Chilling Performance Award - Ouch! From the Department of Medicine
    • Most Likely to Be Found Guilty… of Being Awesome Award - Doc O’Lantern from the DOC Med/Surg 5 Team
    • Sundae Showstopper Award - Ice Cream is Epic from the Epic IT Cadence Team
    • Most Bubbalicious Pumpkin Award - Gumball Funkin from the Epic IT Referrals and CRM Team
    • When Science Meets Spookiness Award - Regenerative Engineering: Where Science Meets Healing from the Cato T. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering
    • Golden Creativity Award - “I Want It Now!” from Nanette Pink and Liam Pink
    • Sew Cute, It Hurts Award - Put A Pin In It from Nanette Pink
    • Nightmare Before Halloween Award - “Of Course I’ve Been Too Close to Sea! The Answers Right in Front of Me!” from the Deymier Lab
    • Paw-sitively Powerful Message Award - Diversity Strengthens Our Pack from the Graduate School DEI Committee
    • Adventure Awaits Award - Up! Pumpkins from Alison D’urbano
    • Glow of Greatness Award - Carved Witches and City Pumpkin from Anna T
    • Master of Culinary Carving Award - Carved Chef Pumpkin from Kathy Updike
    • Udder Perfection Award - Holy Cow, It’s Halloween from Erica Oberg
    • Most Graceful Gourd - Giraffes Can Dance! From Heather Minervini