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4:07 p.m., Aug. 27, 2007--Hazy, hot, humid and helpful is a good way to describe the campus conditions on Saturday, Aug. 25, as more than 3,400 freshmen arrived in Newark to begin their academic careers at UD.

While the heat index was on its way to triple-digit readings of 100-plus degrees, more than 700 Arrival Survival volunteers, including UD students, faculty and staff, pitched in to welcome and help new students and their families, friends and supporters.

“Move-in day is controlled chaos, but the UD staff really has this thing down,” UD President Patrick Harker, said. “I've been through this kind of thing before, and I think the organization around move-in day at UD has been excellent.”

Move-in day also is a great way to welcome members of the Class of 2011 to the UD community, Harker said.

“This is a great class of students moving in. They are very qualified and very diversified,” Harker said. “It is tremendous to be out here welcoming these students and their families to the UD campus.”

Newark Mayor Vance Funk III, a four-time Arrival Survival volunteer, said that helping new students and their families on move-in day is a good way to establish a positive relationship between members of the UD and Newark communities.

“People are appreciative that others come out and help with move-in,” Funk said. “It is very important to me that there is a sense of community among the parents, students and the residents of Newark. If we all work together, many of the troubles of the past can be overcome.”

Joining Harker and Funk in welcoming new arrivals were several members of the UD administration, including:

• Michael Gilbert, vice president for student affairs, who said that staff and volunteers were helping to make move-in day a memorable experience despite less than ideal weather conditions. “Move-ins are basically carried out by building staff and volunteers, and it only happens successfully when people in the community really care about their institution. The staff, volunteers and all the people who planned this event have done a great job.”;
• David E. Hollowell, executive vice president and treasurer, said that it was great to see all the different groups helping to make the newest members of the UD community feel at home. “One of the things we do is to make sure we have enough Public Safety personnel to keep traffic moving. We try to get people in and get them unloaded so that the next group of arrivals can be taken care of.”; and
• Provost Dan Rich said that it is was nice to see members of the UD and Newark community come together on what is unofficially the first day of the 2007-08 school year. “It was great to have President Harker and Mayor Funk and UD administrators and volunteers all helping out on what has to be the most humid move-in day on record.”

Cathy Skelley, assistant director of Residence Life, said that a successful move-in day is the result of the efforts of a lot of individuals and student organizations volunteering to help UD staffers make new arrivals feel at home and become adapted to residence hall life. “Over the years, we have worked out a system to help people drop off their stuff and get set up in the residence halls. Move-in would not happen without the many staff, students and volunteers who make this thing work.”

Robert Schweitzer, Donald J. Puglisi Professor of Finance, said he volunteered because he has been involved in move-ins with family members. “I think it is good for parents to see faculty and students and other volunteers helping out. The parents have been very friendly. It's just a nice thing to do.”

Joining more than 200 resident assistants (RAs) and hall directors were members of several UD student organizations and UD intercollegiate athletics teams, including the men's soccer team and Head Coach Ian Hennessey.

“This is the second year we have done this,” Hennessey said. “Part of our mission is to give back to the UD community. We are happy to be here. It is great having all these kids come to UD.”

"I am really impressed with the level of student participation and organization," Scott Douglass, senior vice president, said.

Rochelle Day, a freshman animal science major from Laurel, said she was excited to move in, despite the hot weather and high humidity. “It is great to be here. The first thing I did when I got to my room was to plug in my fan.”

Allison Jervis, a junior animal science major and Arrival Survival volunteer from West Chester, Pa., said “I was ready to get back to UD. I came out today for the fun of it. I'm getting a good workout. It's good to be back.”

Michael and Anna-Marie Zirpolo, of Long Island, N.Y., said that they enjoyed being on campus and staying at the Courtyard Newark-University of Delaware hotel while helping their daughter Lauren get settled in.

“We have been doing this so long that it almost feels normal,” Anna-Marie Zirpolo said. “Our daughter had 10 colleges to choose from, but she decided to come to UD as an international business major.”

Helping new arrivals by handing out keys and providing information on important aspects of residence hall life were RAs Shenice Hutchinson, a University studies major from Wilmington, and Catherine Stugart, an international business major from Ramsey, N.J.

“Basically, we have been handing out keys and helping make move-in day a little easier,” Hutchinson said.

“For a hot day, it has been going pretty well,” Stugart said. “We have been able to work our way through everything so far.”

Article by Jerry Rhodes
Photos by Kathy Atkinson and Kevin Quinlan