Dave Blanks interviews parents of new Mountaineers to find out their hopes for their kids while here at Appalachian State.
Transcript
Dave Blanks: Hey, folks! It’s me, Dave Blanks, with another Dave by the Bell. It’s Friday, August 17, 2018 and it’s Fall Move-In day at Appalachian State University. Out and about, parents and students are schlepping stuff around, hopefully not being lost and being helped by volunteers. Wes, will there be any refreshments? Wes Craig from UComm?
Wes Craig: Endless supply.
DB: No!
WC: Isn’t that what it says?
DB: It says the Move-In Planning Committee will provide refreshments and snacks for students, parents and volunteers. Look for refreshment stations throughout campus and feel free to help yourself to a “virtually” endless supply.
WC: Does that not seem like a weird way to use that word?
DB: Yeah. It’s kind of odd. Virtually endless.
WC: Like in the virtual world, I guess it would be endless. Is that where it comes from?
DB: It’s true. If it was in the virtual world, like if you’re moving in on Sims then ... is Sims still a thing?
WC: Sims is still a thing.
DB: It’s huge?
WC: It’s a pretty big ... the Sims community.
DB: I’m gonna ask the kids about The Sims!
WC: I don’t think you should ask the kids about The Sims.
DB: All right, I won’t do that, but I am going to talk to parents and students, and I’m going to mainly be focusing on the parents and asking them what, what do they wish for their student coming into school? So, that’s the plan for today. I’m going to go out there, Wes. OK? Do you wanna come with?
WC: Ummm, I’m kind of busy.
DB: Fine! All right, well I’m going out by myself then.
DB: Let’s see what the parents have to say.
(door opens and closes)
DB: Beautiful day today here in Boone. Where do we want to go? So, I lived in Hoey a long time ago and maybe I’ll start at Hoey. Parents rolling up, talking to parking people, trying to figure out where they’re supposed to go.
Liz Kellum: I’m Liz Kellum from Jamestown, North Carolina. My student is Landon Kellum. Well, I hope for him to grow as an individual and figure out what he wants to do with the next step of his life.
Shelly: I’m Shelly and we live in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina.
DB: OK, cool, and your student?
Shelly: Taylor.
DB: What is your biggest wish for Taylor coming here to App?
Shelly: My biggest wish is she enjoys it and does the best she can.
DB: Well, are you glad she chose App?
Shelly: Yes.
DB: So, did you go to App?
Shelly: No.
DB: You didn’t go to App?
Shelly: No. I’m from Wisconsin.
DB: Oh, Wisconsin, all right, well cool.
Shelly: Yes. She is a big Packers fan.
DB: Oh, she’s a Packers fan? What if she becomes a Panthers fan because it’s pretty close phonetically, right?
Shelly: I seriously doubt it.
DB: It ain’t gunna happen? Alright.
Shelly: She’s even watching the pre games last night so ...
DB: Wow! So she’s ready!
Shelly: Yeah, she’s ready.
DB: Awesome. Cheesehead, right?
Shelly: She is really looking forward to the football and going to the games here because she loves football.
DB: Awesome! Well thank you so much.
Shelly: Oh, you’re welcome.
DB: All right, well, have a great day.
Susan Romano: OK, so, she is going to get her room key, right, and we just check out?
DB: I just hold a microphone! (laughter)
SR: Oh! (laughter)
SR: I am Susan Romano from Charlotte, North Carolina. My student is Mia Romano. My hope is for Mia to do better than I did in college.
DB: What was college like for you?
SR: A big party.
Background Voice: Don’t you want her to party better than you?
DB: Yeah! Don’t you want her to achieve a higher level of party than you achieved?
SR: No. I want her to do better in her classes than I did.
DB: Does she know what she is studying?
SR: Not yet. She’s undecided at this point.
DB: OK, cool. Alright, well, thank you for answering my questions.
SR: You’re welcome.
DB: Alright, have a good day.
DB: Hey, y'all!
Volunteers: Hello.
DB: How is volunteering going?
Volunteer 1: It’s OK.
Volunteer 2: Awesome!
DB: I heard some volunteer going, “I hope they’re not asking me to carry a lot of weight because like my back is hurting.” Was that one of y’all?
Volunteers: No!
Volunteer 2: I don’t have huge muscles, but I’m trying. I’m working on it today.
DB: You got heart, right? You got heart, and just showing up is like 90 percent of the battle.
Volunteer 2: This is our workout for the day.
DB: Yeah. There ya go. Cool. Well, thanks a lot, y’all.
Collette: My name is Collette. I’m from Blowing Rock and my student, this is my daughter, Marley. My biggest wish, my biggest hope is one, for safety, and two, for just a great experience here.
DB: Marley, do you think you can pull that off?
Marley: I hope so!
DB: You can do it! Alright, well, y’all have a great day!
Both: Thank you.
DB: Thanks for choosing App!
Rob: My name is Rob. I’m from Matthews. My son is Joe Roberts.
I just want Joe to have a great college experience and graduate.
DB: Does he know what he wants to do?
Rob: Education.
DB: Oh, cool. Perfect school for that!
Rob: Yes. Perfect.
DB: Alright. Well, how’s the Move-in Day experience so far guys?
Rob: Fantastic. In and out!
Michelle Dancy: My name is Michelle Dancy. My student is Noah and we’re from North Wilkesboro. What I wish for Noah is a great education and just to be safe and happy. That’s it.
DB: Noah can you pull that off?
Noah: I hope so.
DB: Yeah, yeah! You hope so? All you gotta do is be safe and get a great education!
Noah: Oh. I can do that.
DB: Alright. Excellent! Well, welcome to App y'all.
Reiner Kamper: My name is Reiner Kamper. I’m from Clemmons, North Carolina, and my daughter is Savannah Kamper. What I want for Savannah out of college ... I want her to have fun most of all, have a little bit of time growing up, and hopefully when she is done with college that she has enough knowledge to go in the workforce and be productive.
DB: Does she know what she wants to do?
RK: She wants to do international business.
DB: Oh, cool! So, what made her want to get into that? Do you know?
RK: She had gone to Spain last year and got hooked on the international bug.
DB: App has tons of international study opportunities.
RK: That’s what she wants to do, but she’s a freshman, so she has a little bit of time to figure out what that is.
DB: Enjoy Boone and then maybe leave for a little bit. Thank you very much, Reiner. I really appreciate it!
Dave Gisondi: I’m Dave Gisondi, and this is my wife, Liz.
DB: Hey Liz!
Liz Gisondi: Hey.
DB: Where are y'all from?
DG: Valle Crucis.
DB: Oh, not far off!
DG: No.
DB: And who is your future Mountaineer?
DG: Well, we have two. Michelle and Gina.
DB: They’re both coming today?
DG: One is coming in today, and one is moved into an apartment up the street.
DB: Excellent. What do you want for Gina and Michelle to experience here at Appalachian State, when you think about their time here?
DG: I’ll let you answer that.
LG: Oh, my gosh. Well, I don’t know. I really want them to enjoy their community and like-minded students, and to grow and learn and get good grades.
DB: Important, right? Even though it was tacked on to the end. Still very important. What about you, dad?
DG: Pretty much the same, but they’re kind of connected to a lot of the groups here because of living so close. Michelle has been here a year already.
DB: So Gina has a guide.
LG: Yeah. Gina is a sophomore and Michelle is a junior.
DB: Alright. Well, y’all have a great move-in day! Thanks for your answers.
LG: Thank you!
DG: Thank you, Dave!
(instrumental music plays in background)
DB: Getting a fantastic education, and having a lot of fun and being safe. I am 100 percent convinced that Appalachian State was the perfect choice for all of you new Mountaineers. Thanks to the parents. Thanks to the volunteers. Thanks to everyone in traffic and parking and law enforcement on campus today for making move-in super smooth. And thanks to you, listener, for sharing your time with me. I’m Dave Blanks, and this has been a Move-in Day edition of Dave by the Bell.
(instrumental music ends)
What do you think?
Share your feedback on this story.
About Appalachian State University
As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls nearly 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.
![165 graves marked in Boone's historic black cemetery [faculty featured]](/_images/_posts/2022/11/historic-black-cemetery-600x400.jpg)
