“We have 70% of first year students live on campus, so you can’t really call us a commuter school anymore,” said Jennifer Attenweiler, director of Residence Life at Wright State. “It’s a large percentage of our student population living on campus. And then within that, we also have students living along Zink Road who are walking to campus.”
Among the hubbub of moving carts, golf carts with cold water and giant blowing fans on Monday, Tipp City mom Barbara Mayer was moving in her eldest son, who is a freshman nursing student at Wright State.
“I’m just excited for him,” she said. “And I hope that it’s a positive and fun year, and positive and fun couple first weeks too.”
Eunice Akinade, a second-year social work major, said she’s excited for summer to be over and to make new friends.
“I was waiting for this. I was so tired of being at home,” she said. “I know I was going to be a little challenged, the (higher) grade up I go. But I’m ready, I’m ready for the thrill. I’m ready to build my career ... definitely not too scared, but I’m a little nervous.”
One of Wright State’s residence halls has also reopened, beginning this school year, after a fire broke out on the third floor two years ago. Jacob Hall has been reopened, following extensive renovations.
Most returning students have already moved in over the weekend, but Wright State’s Operation Move-In Monday saw more than 1,150 new students, along with several hundred returning students, return to their dorms for the school year. More than 380 volunteers help to give students that “warm welcome,” Attenweiler said.
“The student experience is huge,” Attenweiler said. “We’re affordable, and students enjoy being here. And so I think there’s a lot of different reasons that our students come and want to be around, to be a part of campus community.”
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