Record Resident Enrollment Expected

Director of Residence Life Andy McAllister (right) meets recently with Women's Residence Hall Director Sheena London (left) and Women's Area Coordinator Heather Davis.

For the last several weeks, McAllister, who is LWC's director of residence life, has worked with his 29-member staff to ensure that Lindsey Wilson has a place to house every one of what is expected to be a record resident student population.

In 2008-09, LWC had a near-record 721 resident students. This fall, the college expects to crash the 800-student barrier for the first time in its 109-year history. Overall, enrollment is expected to exceed 2,100 students - more than 100 greater than last year's record 2,003-member student body.

The enrollment surge on the A.P. White Campus will demand extra attention from the entire LWC community. But residence life is sure to be ground zero of the enrollment explosion as the department's eight professional staff members and 21 student resident assistants are charged with meeting the everyday needs of a record resident student body.

This year's move-in officially begins at 9 a.m. CT on Saturday when freshmen resident students and their family members are scheduled to move into residence halls.

"But we know from past experience that a lot of students and their family members will arrive earlier in the morning," said McAllister, who is a veteran of the last eight move-in weekends.

LWC residence life staff will be joined by colleagues from admissions, athletics and members from other student services offices to help resident freshmen unload and unpack.

"It's a total campus effort," McAllister said. "We want the day to be as easy as possible for our students and their family members. This should be a fun day for students."

Freshmen have a lot of "fun" and food programmed for them after they settle into their residence-hall rooms. Following lunch, freshmen will be officially welcomed into the Lindsey Wilson community at a Saturday afternoon kick-off ceremony and "Hooray!" in Biggers Sports Center. Saturday will conclude with a picnic at the Emily Hundley President's Home, followed by a social event on the Campus Quadrangle.

"We want students to feel a part of this special community the moment they step on campus," said Student Activities Director Jayne Hopkins. "We also want them to meet their fellow classmates, who they will spend the next four years of their lives with."

Opening Weekend activities continue on Sunday with a Hot Rods baseball game in Bowling Green, Ky., visit to Mammoth Cave, canoe ride, swimming or a trip to the Louisville Zoo. On Monday and Tuesday, freshmen will tour their classrooms, meet their academic advisers and visit the Holloway Building, which includes the Katie Murrell Library. Also on Monday and Tuesday, returning resident students will move into residence halls. 

Wednesday includes the start of fall classes and the fourth-annual Wares Fair, which will be held in Biggers Sports Center.

"The Wares Fair is a great way for our new students to be introduced to Columbia-Adair County's business community," said Vice President of Student Services & Enrollment Management Dean Adams. "Resident students have been called 'nine-month tourists' because for nine months they shop at local stores and eat in local restaurants. They are kind of like an annual economic stimulus for a local economy."

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Click here for a schedule of Opening Weekend activities.

For more information about LWC's Opening Weekend activities, contact the Student Activities Office at info@lindsey.edu or (270) 384-8033.

Scenes from Fall Preparation ...