August 10, 2011 by Mark Cramer, NMSU News Center
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New Mexico State University’s Aggie Welcome & Orientation Week 2011 is Aug. 14-20. (NMSU Courtesy Image)
As the summer winds down and the school year gears up, New Mexico State University housing officials are preparing to welcome students – especially freshmen – to campus this weekend, prior to classes beginning Aug. 18.
Campus residence halls will open at 8 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 14, so that students can start moving in. The residence halls will be at 100 percent capacity as fall semester begins, with about 3,600 students residing in four residence halls and three campus apartment complexes.
“Move-in day marks the unofficial start of the new school year, and we are very happy to report that we are at maximum occupancy,” said Julie Weber, director of housing and residential life at NMSU. “It’s always good for the student body, especially the freshmen, as they have opportunities to interact with one another and have easy access to classes and campus activities. And a full campus is obviously beneficial to the local economy as well.”
Move-in day takes place on a Sunday in order to minimize the impact of the sudden influx of people to campus, and affords the ability to adjust traffic flow for the benefit of movers.
“The streets in front of the residence hall main entrances will all be one-way for the day,” Weber said. “Parents and students will be able to drive up to the front entrance, unload their vehicles, and move on to a satellite parking area by the Pan Am Center. From there Aggie Transit buses will return people to the halls.”
Volunteers are needed for move-in day, to help students check in, haul belongings to rooms, help family members find their student’s room, answer questions about the college experience, direct parking, deliver water and more. Volunteers are especially needed during the afternoon. Students, employees, individuals from the community and even teams and organizations may participate, for any length of time. Papa John’s Pizza and water, donated by new campus dining services contractor Sodexo, will be provided all day. For more information contact Dani De Luca at ddeluca@nmsu.edu or 575-646-4466.
Moving in is only part of Aggie Welcome and Orientation Week. At 5 p.m. Aug. 14, once the move-ins are mostly complete, NMSU President Barbara Couture will join the head coaches of the Aggie soccer, volleyball and football teams in welcoming all new students and their families to the Aggie Barbecue, to take place at the Corbett Center Outdoor Stage, just outside the east entrance to Corbett Center Student Union. Student-athletes will be on hand as well, passing on welcome pins to new students.
“We are trying to create a link to the first home football game of the season [6 p.m. Sept. 3 vs. Ohio University], which is featuring a beach theme,” Weber said. “All new students will get a complimentary beach towel upon move-in.”
A full slate is on tap for the week, with a schedule packed with educational seminars, fun social events and orientation activities.
“Aggie Welcome and Orientation is a joint venture between housing and Student Affairs, primarily targeted to our new students. It’s a way to get them acclimated to campus life, maybe being away from home for the first time, and it helps keep them occupied until classes begin,” Weber said. “Last year we averaged 900 to 1,000 people at each evening event.”
For a full list of welcome and orientation events, visit http://your.nmsu.edu/aggie-welcome-orientation/fall-2011-schedule-of-events.