Volunteers help 'organize the chaos' as thousands of Wildcats move into dorms
(From left) Housing and Residential Life staff members Bennett Johnson, residential assistant, Nya Patterson, assistant community director, and Chuck Stock, community director, were among the dozens of employee volunteers who helped welcome more than 7,500 students to campus during move-in week.
A sea of red and blue washed over campus for four days as more than 7,500 students and their families braved the late-summer heat to carry crates, boxes and bags to their on-campus homes. The sounds of rolling luggage, car doors and trunks closing, and chatter and laughter supplied the soundtrack as a team of about 60 university volunteers greeted families, provided directions, managed elevators and handed out water to those making the move.
Rachel Abraham, evaluation manager with Campus Health, spent her volunteer shift in the Highland Bowl area checking out bins to help students and their families make fewer trips to their rooms.
Jamie Matthews, Senior Associate Director for Residential Education, Housing and Residential Life
"I volunteered last year and had a lot of fun getting to meet other campus partners and folks who work just a building away," Abraham said on Thursday, the third day of move-in. "It's also a great way to support students at a time when they are a bit overwhelmed – even if it's just suggesting a place for lunch."
Many of the new residents belong to the largest and most diverse class in university history of more than 9,300 first-year students, including a record 4,900 Arizona residents. Roughly 28% of the incoming class self-identify as first-generation college students.
"I have always loved move-in and the excitement and energy that come with it," said Mara Sisk, residency classification coordinator with the Office of the Registrar, who marked her seventh move-in. "One of the things our housing office does really well is organize the chaos. They've created a really smooth system."
Aaron Saiz, materials supply controller with Housing and Residential Life, wheels in water for students and their families during move-in week.
The system that plays out over move-in is the result of months of preparation, said Jamie Matthews, senior associate director for residential education in Housing and Residential Life and one of the chairs of the move-in committee. The process starts in September, when the committee evaluates the previous move-in and processes feedback from parents, students and staff. Over the next few months, the committee members begin organizing the next year's move-in by finalizing dates, looking at budget numbers and procuring equipment such as tents, dumpsters, water coolers and moving bins.
"We start hearing from students and their families as early as January about when they can move in," Matthews said. "So we make sure we have a communications plan for students and campus partners ready by then."
This year's move-in dates were Aug. 20-23. All 23 dorms are at capacity.
A benefit to the community
In addition to being an exciting time on campus, student move-in provides a multimillion-dollar boost for Tucson's economy.
Results from a survey sent by Housing and Residential Life to thousands of Wildcat families following the 2023 move-in suggest students and families from outside of Tucson contributed almost $10 million to the local economy.
The survey showed visiting families contributed $4.1 million to the hotel and lodging sector and $2.4 million to the restaurant and food industry. Other spending included $2.4 million on consumer staples like dorm supplies and $700,000 on other activities.
Resources for students and families and additional information about this year's move-in can be found on the Housing and Residential Life website.