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8.27.08
Student volunteer Ted Aslund, left, and Dr. Robert Elsner help freshman move in.
Newest Erskine College students move into dorms
There's not another event quite like it on the Erskine College campus throughout the year.
Last Saturday, members of the Class of 2012 brought their belongings, lots of them, to the Carnegie dormitory for freshman women and the Grier dormitory for freshman men.
One hundred sixty-three new students arrived on campus and have begun a weeklong freshman orientation that will conclude with the start of classes on Monday, Sept. 1, for freshmen and upperclassmen.
Erskine officials were pleased by how smoothly the arrival of freshmen went.
"Move-in day 2008 was probably one of the smoothest in recent years," Vice President for Student Services Monty Wooley said. "Much work on behalf of everyone makes this kind of day go off so well."
He commended the facilities management department for doing "such a stellar job" in getting the dorms and grounds ready.
"A special tribute should go to Randy Moore and the ARAMARK employees for their efforts in such an inconvenient situation," Wooley said.
Moore and ARAMARK have been working to relocate the college's dining facilities to the mezzanine area of Galloway athletic complex since Moffatt Dining Hall was significantly damaged by fire on July 10.
Wooley said there were six resident directors, 26 student life assistants and 60 student volunteers who assisted freshmen and their parents with getting moved in to their dorm rooms.
Those volunteers included many student leaders, including the Student Government Association president (Jason Bethea) and vice president (Jessica Gregg), Student Christian Association president (Sarah Edge), Erskine Entertainment Board chair (Caitlyn Slattery), Judicial Council chair (Craig Goodwin) and Intersociety Council chair (Ruth Dye).
"They did everything from moving the freshmen's belongings in to serving lunch in the dormitories, and anything else that was needed to make a smooth transition for the freshmen on move-in day," Wooley said.
He said there were many positive comments and words of appreciation from freshmen and their parents about the volunteers who helped them move in.
"One family moved their daughter into USC last week and commented that they had to climb six flights of stairs with her belongings," Wooley said. "This was a welcome change from that process for them."
The volunteers are continuing to help during freshmen orientation, serving as peer leaders for the first-year students as they move toward their first day of classes on Labor Day.
Dr. Robyn Agnew, dean of students, was complimentary of the efforts of the resident directors (RDs) and student life assistants (SLAs). "The RDs and SLAs were really on task," she said.
Agnew said she heard a number of favorable comments from parents about the college's readiness and organization.
"A number of them told me how comfortable they were leaving their student here," she said.
Ruth Burton, Carnegie resident director, was equally pleased by how things went on Saturday.
"I'm sure move-in day for freshmen is one of the most exciting days of their entire lives and it's one of the most exciting of the year for me," she said. "'Thanks' is really not enough to the upperclassmen who volunteered with getting freshmen settled in the dorm as well as doing other vital things related to the day's events."
Burton echoed Wooley's comments about the appreciation expressed by parents.
"Many parents commented they had moved other children of theirs into other schools and said, 'It certainly wasn't this easy!'" Burton said.
She offered thanks to the housekeeping, maintenance and grounds staffs for "helping make us look really good," and to the food service staff.
"Despite their many obstacles, they managed really smooth operations throughout the day," Burton said.
Grier Resident Director Shawn Marler said, "It's always exciting to welcome new students and families to campus, sharing with them this place we have come to love and the place with which we so often identify ourselves."
He said students are allowed to see "the heart of Erskine" from day one, "not only in the way we prepare and orchestrate such a big event, but also in the way we serve them through welcoming and helping them as they begin to feel comfortable here in a new place."
Erskine President Dr. Randall T. Ruble made his presence felt during the day, as did other administrators, faculty and staff members.
Adam Groblewski, left, and Caleb Barnes carry a fouton.
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