On October 25th, 2024, Sigma Tau Delta hosted Haunted Simpkins, the recent Halloween tradition put on by WIU’s English honors students. The event is a Halloween celebration that highlights all things spooky, seasonal, and Simpkins. Within the event, a costume contest has been held, and this year, the competition was stricter than ever.

Ten contestants across academic disciplines battled it out, each seeking to better the other with their frightful or festive fashions. A very valuable prize was on the line, so no holds were barred, no fangs were retracted.

While each contestant sported timeless or trendy threads, the competition was narrowed down to three frontrunners. The angel (Rachel Bishop), Pirate Deadpool of Marvel (Donovan Williams), and Jill Valentine of Resident Evil 3 (Jael Henning). From these three, the winner was chosen by good ole clap-o-meter. Sigma Tau Delta President, Grace McGill, oversaw this applause-judging and determined that Rachel Bishop, our guardian angel, was the best dressed of the night. Along with bragging rights, Rachel was awarded a copy of Broken Circle. Congratulations to you, Rachel!

The event was a highlight of the night, with those in attendance cheering for the All Hallows’ Eve fashion show. Now, as the spooky season draws to a close, the ghosts of Simpkins Hall will have to wait another year to see some more revenants on the runway.