Many students and parents at this year’s move-in said that volunteers and careful organization made the normally hectic day a little less stressful.
About 7,000 students moved into their University housing assignments Saturday with the assistance of 900 volunteers, including University President Steven Knapp, his wife Diane and 60 Colonial Bellhops, said Seth Weinshel, assignments director of GW Housing.
“It’s been a fabulously successful move-in,” Weinshel said. “Every year we get better and we learn something we forgot the year before. In the administration, our goal is for the staff to work together to make the move-in experience as easy and stress-free as possible.”
This year’s event featured an extra 300 volunteers, which Weinshel attributes to better marketing.
“We reached out to a lot of student orgs and I think its another way for students to show their support of the GW community,” he said.
Annie Brereton, mother of freshman Michelle Brereton, said that the amount of volunteer assistance made move-in simple and easy.
“I’m very impressed by the organization (at move-in),” Brereton said. “It was very easy to get the key and there is plenty of help to move us in.”
She added, “I can’t say enough positive things about it. It’s really been a pleasure.”
The housing office improved the Internet accessibility of move-in information, which streamlined check-in and produced less paperwork.
“We try to make it so that we are not printing for the sake of printing,” Weinshel said. “We want to make it as easy as possible.”
The University continued Knapp’s sustainability effort by leading a “think green” move-in, where University officials gave students stickers for their light switches reminding them to turn the lights off and provided lists of recommended environmentally friendly items for their rooms.
Knapp said he thought this year’s move-in was smoother than last year.
“The lines to the elevator at Thurston seemed to be shorter this year,” he said. “Everything ran very smoothly, and the weather was nice and cool.”
