Hospitality suite a hit with parents and students at DelaWorld

From left, DelaWorld leaders Courtney Moore and Manasseh Franklin, with Kyle Warren, who will be a freshman in environmental engineering, his mother, Beth Warren, Amanda Moutner, who will be a freshman anthropology major, and her mother, Kathy Moutner.

2:45 p.m., July 1, 2005--Parents and incoming freshman and transfer students attending DelaWorld can chat individually with DelaWorld student leaders at a hospitality suite open evenings at the Courtyard Newark-University of Delaware hotel.

DelaWorld 101, the first important “course” for admitted freshman and transfer students as they embark on their college careers, is being held from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., weekdays, until July 20 (except for July 1 and 4).

In addition to the informal sessions, visitors to the hospitality suite can enjoy snacks and refreshments. Parents and students can sit around a conference table and meet other parents and students. Guests also can browse through a book of local restaurant menus and pick up copies of The Messenger, the UD magazine, and consult campus maps.

“It was really nice just to sit in an intimate session and be able to ask specific questions. We appreciate the enthusiasm and all the information,” Beth Warren, who was accompanied by her son, Kyle Warren, an incoming environmental engineering major from Martinsville, N.J., said of the half hour she spent in the suite.

Also in the suite were Amanda Moutner, an incoming anthropology major, and her mother, Kathy Moutner, from Whitehouse Station, N.J. The guests got into a lively conversation about majors, extracurricular activities, safety tips and majors with two DelaWorld students leaders, sophomore English major Manasseh Franklin and junior human services and public policy major Courtney Moore.

“The more active you are, the easier it is to find out about stuff,” Moore, who was particularly excited to learn that Amanda Moutner was planning to join her in the Marching Band, told the guests. “We have over 200 clubs and organizations, everything from Greek life to religious organizations.”

Franklin explained the ease with which she was able to change her major and offered tips on course selection and learning the campus geography. She spoke about an excellent anthropology class she took and encouraged Amanda Moutner to take it.

“They might not know exactly what questions to ask, but when we start talking we might bring up a topic and they’ll ask, ‘What’s that?’ That starts a whole conversation, and they learn something new,” Franklin said. “We try to make it as individual as possible, and we get very positive feedback from the parents. They love the interaction.”

Michael McCloskey, assistant director of admissions, said the suite has become a crucial part of DelaWorld. Dozens of families from across the country and as far as Tokyo have taken advantage of the service provided at the suite, McCloskey said.

“It’s nice to be able to sit with one or two people instead of a whole group,” Amanda Moutner said. “You get questions answered like you wouldn’t any other way.”

The sessions in the suite also generate excitement among parents. After an animated presentation by Moore about general campus life, physical fitness and Marching Band activities, Beth Warren exclaimed, “I’m ready! I want to come back to college!”

Article by Martin Mbugua
Photo by Tyler Jacobson

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