How college DJs provided the soundtrack to MCC Halloween celebrations
Mesa Community College held its first Halloween Dance Party event on Oct. 25 at the Southern and Dobson campus, where guests enjoyed candy giveaways and accepted donations to the college’s DJ team that spun tracks through the night.
James Gaspar, sponsor of the event and DJ team coordinator, supported the program and booked students at events like the Mesa Music Festival. The DJ team performed again at a Halloween Spooktacular event at the Red Mountain campus on Oct. 31.
“The idea for hosting a Halloween dance party on campus came naturally to us. As DJs, we love performing, and our class curriculum emphasizes live performance. With Halloween events happening everywhere, we thought, why not bring that excitement to our campus?” said Gaspar.
Gaspar discussed wanting to bring the community together with this event and going all out with lighting effects, a powerful PA system, talented DJs, art showcases, and even some live bands to make it a truly immersive experience
College DJs want to expand Halloween at the Southern and Dobson campus
Last year, the Halloween Spooktacular celebration was only held at MCC’s Red Mountain campus, and interest in a similar gathering at the Southern and Dobson campus began last year for students that could not travel between campuses, according to Gaspar.
A large part of the event was also the opportunity to donate to MCC’s DJ program to support its students.
“Donations are crucial for the MCC DJ program, especially as the college is facing financial challenges, which makes outside support even more important. Historically, our program has been underfunded, and these donations will help us bridge that gap,” said Gaspar.
Gaspar stated that the funds will allow them to invest in new, state-of-the-art DJ equipment, repair or upgrade older gear, and provide students with the best possible learning experience.
Beyond equipment, these donations will also help create future scholarship opportunities and fund educational field trips, which Gaspar said to be essential for giving students hands-on learning experiences outside the classroom.
Gaspar also mentioned other ways to support the program such as attending their events which include their Second Friday events. A monthly nightclub event featuring live DJ performances and art displays at MCC.
Special events offer students real-world experiences
The organization of the Halloween events on campus relied heavily on student involvement. Gaspar describes these events as more than just a showcase, but as hands-on learning experiences that allow students to develop skills in real-world environments.
These skills include managing logistics, handling sound and lighting, or curating the on stage lineup for the evening.
“I believe events like this have the potential to become a lasting tradition at MCC. The positive feedback from both students and the community has been incredible, and each event seems to grow in participation and excitement…. These events create a strong sense of belonging and pride on campus, not just for those involved in organizing, but for everyone who attends,” Gaspar added.
Halloween at the Red Mountain campus
The DJ team returned to MCC’s Red Mountain campus on Oct. 31 to perform for another Halloween Spooktacular, a large event sponsored by Student Life and Leadership.
The event brought together many student clubs and programs for a night of games, food, and entertainment in the east Valley.
Families showed out in full costumes and MCC students passed out candy to the many children in attendance.
The MCC DJ team was set up by the Desert Willow building and played tracks through the evening, complete with all the professional lighting equipment that was brought out to the first event.
