As summer vacation comes to an end, thousands of students will spend these last few days moving into their rooms in residence halls on the University of Arkansas campus. Arriving with boxes, laundry baskets and suitcases full of clothes, bedding and other room essentials, incoming and returning students are working hard to set up their home away from home.
As a way to welcome students back to campus, staff at the Arkansas Alumni Association volunteered to aid in the move-in effort on Wednesday, Aug. 15 and Thursday, Aug. 16. Heath Bowman, assistant director of out-of-state programs, remarked, “Move-In Day sounded like a great way to help increase the visibility of the Arkansas Alumni Association to our future alumni and, especially, to the parents of incoming students.”
Throughout the day, cars lined the parking lots of campus residence halls with parents and students prepared to unload and unpack. Deb Euculano, associate director of the Arkansas territory, said, “It’s rewarding to be part of a process that gives the parents and students such a positive experience! They are pleasantly surprised to see the number of volunteers helping them move in and seem so appreciative of the generous hospitality.”
While several Alumni staff members helped move boxes and unload cars, others spent time handing out water and fans to busy parents and students. A water tent was set up to provide a break from the heat as the day progressed.
For Bowman, the process of helping with move-in “was a great opportunity to think back and remember my own experience moving in during freshman year. I would have loved to have had someone help me move my things into the residence halls as I was arriving to campus! It just felt like a great way to pay it forward to our newest Razorbacks.”
