As the Spring semester winds down, some Clemson University students are already gearing up for the Fall term.
Move-In for the majority of Clemson’s on-campus residents — first-year, continuing and Bridge to Clemson students — is scheduled for August 14-17. In addition to housing and residential community staff, students unpacking their belongings can expect to see a warm Clemson welcome from … fellow students.
“We always talk about the importance of tradition at Clemson, and we wanted to bring the idea of volunteering back to welcome students, particularly those in their first year,” says Luke Hall, a graduate student from Greenville, South Carolina. “The transition to college can be difficult, and the quickest access to the Clemson Family is through involvement with other students and their respective organizations. It’s imperative that students are exposed to upperclassmen and leaders within various organizations as early as possible to see the full breadth of ways they can find their community at Clemson. For our older students, it’s important to find ways to give back and serve as role models. It’s also important to never forget what those transitions are like. Extending the spirit of the Clemson Family to first-year students as they join us on campus is a reciprocal relationship.”
Hall has led a small team of dedicated student leaders who campaigned for the return of move-in volunteers. Working in close conjunction with Clemson Home, the volunteer program is being re-introduced in August and carefully coordinated through student organizations.
A finalized list of organization volunteers is being submitted by the end of May, and registered individuals are receiving a required training video and event details in early August. As students and families move-in during their appointment times, volunteers — identified by their t-shirts — are charged with helping unpack cars, transporting belongings in provided move-in carts and assisting with wayfinding as needed.
The presence of volunteers not only provides support for housing staff, but also adds another layer to the student experience that can spark an unforgettable transition from the beginning of their time at Clemson.
“The volunteer program makes a significant impact on students and families during move-in,” says Leasa Evinger, interim assistant vice president for housing and residence life. “Student groups came to us, saying they wanted to do it again. The key to bringing this tradition back was to be able to appropriately manage logistics while maintaining efficient move-in processes that were put in place coming out of the pandemic. We are confident these volunteers can provide move-in assistance that will serve as a true Clemson welcome, especially to our new students.”
Any questions on the move-in volunteer program should be directed to Tracy Foss of Clemson Home.