Students, parents enjoy hoopla of Southeast move-in day

Southeast Missouri State University's Student Recreation Center-North was a hub of activity Thursday with students checking into residence halls and acquiring assorted goodies and information.

White signs with red lettering pointed motorists to the appropriate spot on campus to get things rolling.

As of 1 p.m., more than 1,000 volunteers had helped 1,180 students gather items and get them to their rooms, director of residence life Kendra Skinner said.

"This is one of the things that I love so much about this institution is the students' willingness to come back and help other students to move into their rooms," Skinner said. "The parents are so appreciative of this.

"They worked so hard in all of our locations across campus. We've actually exceeded our move-in numbers" from previous years, Skinner said. Students and parents were excited and anxious as the process began. Some were sending their first child to college. For others, he or she was the last child to leave home.

Outside, teams of students pointed people toward parking spots and handed out bottled water. Inside, students and staff offered directions and information.

Chad Kurowski, who arrived with his mother, Donna, from Manchester, Missouri, chose Southeast sight unseen, but it didn't seem to faze him.

"I'm feeling pretty excited," Donna Kurowski said. "I'm having fun. I think it's impressive to see so many students helping out. It shows a lot of team spirit."

Aaron and Stephannie Drury of Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, helped their son, Evan, get checked in Thursday.

"So far, it's good," Stephannie Drury said, adding she was feeling "a little anxious. He's our oldest. He's our first one going [to college]. We have three."

For his part, Evan Drury said he was nervous, but getting everything done.

"I was at a very small Catholic school [at Valle Catholic High School]," Evan Drury said. "Now I'm at a bigger university."

Gary Roever brought his daughter, Elizabeth, to Southeast from Waterloo, Illinois.

The Cape Girardeau area and Southeast's campus are what drew Elizabeth Roever to the university. Roever, who plans to study accounting, said she was excited, but kind of nervous about classes.

Skinner said housing contracts are up more than 100 from last year, to around 3,100. She said contracts still are being accepted.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

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