Volunteers Welcome Incoming Students

On Thursday, the first of two back-to-back move-in days at EWU, the sidewalks surrounding university housing were lined with boxes and bins as students moved onto campus and transitioned into college life.

Over the course of the Sept. 19-20 move-in event, more than 1,100 students were expected to arrive at EWU’s four residence halls. They arrived, many with their families, to find welcoming faculty, staff and student volunteers offering to help.

The EWU volunteers directed vehicles, unloaded cars and carried boxes, creating a seamless move-in experience for students and their families.

“We do community service hours with our sport, and this is a fun event to volunteer at,” said Kassy Garza, a junior on the track and field team.

That sense of community is what makes our university special, said EWU President Shari McMahan.

“Move-in Day is always an exciting time at Eastern. I love the energy on campus, especially from our hard-working volunteers, as we help get our new and returning students ready for the year ahead,” said McMahan, adding, “I’m proud to see so many people pitching in to make this day a great experience.”

Donuts were distributed to the masses by volunteers at snyamncut hall in an effort to make move-in day a little sweeter.

“I love Move-In Day,” said Dolores Spinek, a community advisor (CA) at snyamncut. According to Spinek, CAs are often new residents’ first impression of Eastern. “Our role is really important. We really just try to make Eastern better in every way that we can,” she added.

Spinek will spend her year living on the same floor as fellow residents, working to solve logistical problems of residence hall-life, fostering community, and making the transition to college as smooth as possible for her advisees.

Her advice to new students: “Be open to everything and talk to everyone because you will find your place here.”

At Pearce Hall, Swoop found his place amongst the moving bins and did his part to welcome new students to campus.

Jedah Oldenkamp, of Yakima, Washington, said he is excited to begin the social work program at EWU. “I came to Eastern because it has one of the best social work programs in Washington.”

Oldenkamp believes his mom might not share that excitement. “I think my mom is very sad and I think my dad is a little happy,” he added.

Over at Anderson Hall, freshman Gabriel Royce, from Longview, Washington, is moving in with the help of his mom and two younger sisters. “There’s a lot to look forward to and be anxious about,” Royce said.

His mother, Leslie Royce, said, “I am actually super excited for him. I think it’s going to be a great experience.” Although his youngest sister will certainly miss him, she added.

Samantha Odenrider, of Davenport, Washington, is likewise excited for the new experiences. She plans to major in elementary education.

The students seemed ready to embrace college-life and find their place at EWU. Freshman Aubrey Carpenter, a nursing major, said, “I’m most excited for the games and building a tight community.”