As students and faculty walked out of Classroom Building last Thursday, they had to watch
the sky for falling pumpkins.
The fourth annual “Pumpkin Drop,” created to recognize the change of season, took place
during Bengal pause on the south side of the building.
Following the tradition, the signed pumpkin is taken to the roof and then dropped onto the
ground below.
Students, faculty and others walking by stopped to inquire about the crowd surrounding
the loading dock of the Classroom Building and ended up participating in the event.
Around 1 p.m. a table was set up with cookies and apple cider that was free to anyone who
stopped by the event. The pumpkin that was set to drop at around 1:15 p.m. was also on
the table for people to sign their names before it was destroyed.
The four-year-old tradition came from Stephen Vermette, professor and coordinator of the
climatology and meteorology minor at Buffalo State.
“The idea of a pumpkin drop came from the ball dropping that takes place every New Years
Eve which brings in the New Year,” Vermette said. “The pumpkin dropping is bringing in
the new season.”
In previous years the pumpkin has been dropped onto the grass but this year it was
dropped straight onto the cement sidewalk to create a bigger bang.
The pumpkin used for the drop came from senior meteorology major Mike Borrelli, whose
father owns a small field in Rochester. Borrelli said his dad told him he could pick the
ugliest pumpkin of the patch. He was also the person who dropped the pumpkin off the
roof.
“This is my second year involved in the event,” Borrelli said. “I get to throw a pumpkin off a
roof. How could you say no to that?”
This is the first year that a drum roll was used to help give the event some more
excitement.
Freshman music education major Dominic Scaduto preformed the drum roll leading up to
the drop.
“Dr. Vermette contacted the music department to see if someone was available to do the
drum roll for this event and I was glad to do it,” Scaduto said.
Vermette said he wanted it to be a fun, free event to get students involved with one
another and help advertise the program and department since there are many classes in
climatology and meteorology at Buffalo State.
The event was funded and sponsored through the meteorology club.
This year there were between 50 and 60 people, including a member of Channel 7 news.
Vermette said the great turn out to the event every year is what keeps the event a tradition.
Caitlin Waters can be reached by email at waters1.record@live.com.