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8.25.04
Freshman women make their way into Carnegie dormitory Suitcases. Chairs. Tables. Computers. Plastic storage containers filled with the comforts of home. Pillows. Blankets. Microwaves. Laundry detergent. Those were just a few of the items that flooded the Erskine campus over the weekend as 179 freshmen made Due West their college home. Director of Admissions Bart Walker said the new enrollees — 106 women and 73 men — make up the second largest class in the last 15 years. The freshmen represent 12 states and three foreign countries. The states include South Carolina (115), North Carolina (29), Georgia (12), Florida (10), Tennessee (1), Ohio (1), Indiana (2), Michigan (1), Mississippi (1), New Jersey (2), New York (1), and Pennsylvania (1). The three foreign countries include Korea (1), Papua New Guinea (1), and Serbia (1). Most of the students were accompanied by their parents to Carnegie and Grier dormitories to move in Saturday and were greeted by a number of upperclassmen, faculty and staff who showed up to hurry the process along. “One mother told me it took them several hours to load their car,” Dean of Students Robyn Agnew said. “It took the students eight minutes to unload it.” Monty Wooley, vice president for student services and athletics, said it is “always very impressive how our students respond” to the need for volunteer help. As many as 90 returning students were expected to assist with the week’s activities for freshmen. Many of the parents were impressed by the turnout and the help offered. Mike Melton of Laurens said the Erskine experience was a good one. He said his son went to another area college and found things quite different. “We had to do everything ourselves,” he said. Melton, a 1975 graduate of Erskine, and his wife Wanda accompanied daughter Charlotte as she moved into Carnegie. He said Erskine was his daughter’s choice. “She came here one weekend and was convinced this was where she wanted to go,” Melton said. Terry Christie of Mooresville, N.C., also remarked on the helpfulness shown to freshmen and their families. “Everything’s been real organized,” he said. Christie’s daughter Blair said she picked Erskine because of the atmosphere and the friendly people. Debbie Christie wasn’t very talkative as she helped move her daughter into her new home. Asked how she feels about moving her daughter into a college dormitory, Debbie said, through tears, “Let’s don’t even go there.” But, she added, “I feel real good about her being here.” Kate Landry of Atlanta, Ga., said moving into her dorm room at Erskine was “kind of surreal.” Her grandparents, Gilbert and Alpha Smith, live in Due West and she spent many days in her youth walking around the town and the campus. Kate is the daughter of Larry Landry and Kembra Smith. Lee and Cookie Pollard brought their son, Timothy, from Ladson to attend Erskine. Lee said the scholarship money available for his son at Erskine helped in making their son's college choice. Everyone on the Erskine campus was “very helpful,” he said. Lee said he thinks coming to Erskine is an exciting new step for his son. “His mother is a little disheartened, but he is the first one in our family to go to college and that’s exciting.” After settling into their dormitories Saturday, the new students enjoyed Erskine's traditional freshman dance, the soiree — this year with a Hawaiian theme — and then began a weeklong program of activities designed to orient them to the college experience and encourage camaraderie with their classmates. Besides special advising sessions and focus groups, freshmen are participating in a number of recreational activities, including field day and a raft-building contest at Lake Russell. This year’s group of freshmen has impressive academic credentials, with a high school grade point average of 90 and an average SAT score of 1118. Among the entering freshmen, 87 percent ranked in the top 50 percent of their high school class, 50 percent ranked in the top 25 percent, and 30 percent ranked in the top 10 percent. |
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