Freshmen descend on University of Tulsa for a week of orientation

BY CHASE COOK World Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
8/14/12 at 8:11 AM

Emily Collier has never been away from home for very long, but on Tuesday she prepared for an extended stay at her new home - the University of Tulsa.

Collier, 18, of Tulsa, is one of more than 800 freshman students who streamed into TU on Sunday and Monday to prepare for a new life at the private university. She plans to study chemical engineering.

"I'm a little nervous," she said. "But I've been to camps (at TU), so it already kind of feels like a second home."

New TU President Geoffrey Orsak said this freshman class is one of the biggest in recent memory.

Orsak spent time during the move-in to meet with students and families as they unpacked their belongings. The move-in is about getting the new students situated and also showing the parents that their children are in good hands, he said.

"This is a big, emotional day. Some families have been thinking about this day since their kids were born," Orsak said. "It hits them like a ton of bricks."

Current students and volunteers were out in force to help students unpack their vehicles and play music and serve refreshments.

Tents and portable air-conditioning units were set up to keep volunteers and students cool.

The move-in day consists of students getting their belongings moved into their rooms and also gathering information about their new home, said residence director Zane Hight.

Brochures with campus information are given to the students, and information - such as emergency contacts - is collected, he said.

Hight said the move-in has gone according to plan.

"It's a very large group effort," he said. "Down to the blue balloons set up in the morning."

Monday's move-in day was for in-state students; Out-of-state students moved in on Sunday, Hight said.

Freshmen move in a week before school starts to take part in orientation programming and other events, he said.

The rest of TU's students will return Friday, and classes start next Monday.

Original Print Headline: Moving day arrives for TU freshmen

Chase Cook 918-581-8386
chase.cook@tulsaworld.com

Associated Images:

Emily Collier (front) gets help from her mother, Rhonda Collier (left), and sister Isabella while moving into a dorm at the University of Tulsa on Monday. STEPHEN PINGRY / Tulsa World

University of Tulsa President Geoffrey Orsak hands a box to Casey McCreery as they help Darcy Waller move into the dorms Monday at the University of Tulsa. STEPHEN PINGRY / Tulsa World