BOONE, N.C. — Carefully planned procedures, lots of preparation and a team of approximately 800 volunteers ensured 2,000 students were welcomed and settled onto the Appalachian State University campus on Friday. Another 1,000 are expected to arrive Saturday and Sunday.
The volunteers — which included parents of students, members of campus clubs and organizations, and individual students and staff members — met new arrivals and helped them unload and move their belongings into residence halls, answered questions and provided directions.
Nearly half of the volunteers were parents of students.
Bill Brettschneider, of Fleetwood, the incoming president of Appalachian’s Parent and Family Association and father of one current Appalachian student and one recent graduate, is a seasoned move-in volunteer.
“Our objective, as volunteers, is to connect with people and touch the lives of students and their parents,” he said. “This is a special and monumental time in their lives, and we want to support families as they go through this step.”
Fifty-four Appalachian ROTC cadets were on hand Friday, assisting Appalachian’s Department of Parking and Transportation and Police Department in traffic management.
Barry Sauls, program manager of the Department of Parking and Transportation, said, “We’ve come to rely on the ROTC cadets to provide leadership and reliability. They’re excellent ambassadors to parents and students.”
Prior to Friday, approximately 3,700 early arrivals moved in for various student organizations, student employment and volunteer opportunities.
The first day of classes for the university’s fall 2019 semester is Monday, Aug. 19.
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About Appalachian State University
As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.