Fresno State added pumpkin carving to its curriculum briefly so folks would have a chance to learn how to transfer the perfect stencil or freehand drawing onto the harvest season’s squash of choice to get ready for Halloween.

The tradition of putting lights — originally lumps of burning coal, say the history books — into vegetables is centuries old. And before it was hollowed-out pumpkins lighting the way to guide the departed home, folks used turnips, gourds, even pears.

To help the Fresno State community develop more skill in Jack-o-lantern carving, Tracy Newel, a Craig School of Business development associate, Fresno State alumnus, food blogger and former campus carving champion, gave a tutorial Wednesday, Oct. 26, that covered everything from picking out the right pumpkin to having sharp carving implements for carving a unique design.

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