Rain Greets 1,750 new students moving into SU

Taken from Public Opinion:
With rain as their welcome, an estimated 1,750 new students moved onto Shippensburg University campus Thursday.

Members from several of the university's student organizations, including the football team, helped unload many cars filled with supplies and moved the students' belongings into residence halls.

New students were regularly greeted with a smile and the question, "Do you need any help?" at Mowrey Hall, where Ashley Jarvis, a senior psychology student, and her sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi, were working to get students into their rooms.

Jarvis said the Shippensburg chapter was happy to assist the freshmen.

"We're out to help and be social," she said. "It's really cool that everyone is working together."

Established students weren't the only ones doing some heavy lifting Thursday. University President William N. Ruud and the School's Association of Pennsylvania State College and Universities Faculty members also broke a sweat.

Dr. Ruud, who had been up since 7 a.m. moving in new arrivals, said that move-in day is not just a freshman affair.

"It's a family effort," he said.

Providing a helping hand is another way of making students feel welcome, Ruud said.

"If not for the students, the rest of us would not be here," he said. (We try to) treat them better than the Hilton or the Hyatt."

Students were given their move-in time based on their ZIP code, making what could have been a hectic day run more efficiently. That didn't go unnoticed by some parents.

Diane Brunner, mother of freshman Will Brunner, said that the moving in at Shippensburg was a much better experience then she has had in the past with other schools.

"When we moved my daughter in, it was just chaos," she said. "I give (this move-in) a 10. It's been very smooth compared to others we have done."

Even though the Sellersville mom said she will miss her son, he won't be by himself at the university.

"Three little boys I carpooled to preschool are going here. They didn't plan it, it was a coincidence," she said. "One of them is (my son's) roommate.

Brunner said having his friends on campus is a plus.

"It makes it a lot better," he said.

Classes for the fall semester begin Monday.