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Meet school spirits at annual CU Ghost Experience

October 19, 2015
Clarion University History Club, along with advisor Kathleen McIntyre and Ghost Experience emcee Todd Pfannestiel, stand behind the flashlight Pfannestiel uses to communicate with William, the ghost of Hart Chapel. The flashlight beams brightly, a sign that William is nearby.
ghost experience team

Clarion University History Club will host the annual CU Ghost Experience at 8 p.m. Oct. 29-31 in Hart Chapel auditorium.

The Ghost Experience began in 2003 when History Club students wanted to establish something that interrupted the uneventful gap between Homecoming and Thanksgiving.

"They discussed doing a ghost walk similar to what one might see at Gettysburg or Colonial Williamsburg," said Todd Pfannestiel, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts,

Education and Sciences and Ghost Experience master of ceremonies. "They collected the stories of hauntings around the campus and community, and the walk began."

Though the first three years did feature an actual jaunt around campus, the event is now held entirely in Hart Chapel. Video and audio footage taken throughout the year on campus are presented to the audience as paranormal evidence.

Pfannestiel said the event begins when the auditorium seats are full. He starts the evening by telling stories and showing evidence of supernatural activity from campus and the surrounding area. It concludes with an attempt to contact spirits present during the evening.

"Hart Chapel has a very well-known resident ghost," Pfannestiel said.

Each year offers new evidence, though Pfannestiel maintains the best evidence from past events continues to be shown.

Ghost investigations take place after Pfannestiel is contacted by people claiming to have experienced some preternatural activity in different buildings and homes. He decides if inspecting a claim is possible before inviting others to take part in his examination. What information Pfannestiel gathers is presented during the Ghost Experience.

"There are no special effects, no doctored video or audio ... but (the audience) still must decide for themselves whether they can offer some explanation for what I believe to be unexplainable," he said.

Pfannestiel wishes only to present attendees with the information he has gathered.

Doors open at 7:30 p.m. The presentation takes about 90 minutes and is open to the public. No reservations or tickets are required, as the experience operates on a first-come, first-seated basis. The event is free, though donations are accepted at the door. According to History Club president and vice-president Alexandra Elias and Kristina Kiritchenko, the club annually raises money for an area organization.

"We try to raise money for organizations we feel need it most," Elias said. "Last year, that was the Clarion County Historical Society, but this year we decided to do something different and raise money for Clarion PUPS."

Clarion PUPS uses approved foster homes to rescue dogs. The institution works to reunite pets with their owners and find adoptive families.

For information, call Kathleen McIntyre, PhD., professor of history and History Club advisor, at 814-393-2412, or email kmcintyre@clarion.edu.

Last Updated 1/11/21