LWC Community Welcomes Class of 2016

COLUMBIA, Ky. -- Lindsey Wilson College freshman Colby Allen of Jamestown, Ky., did not stress out about moving into the college's residence halls on Saturday morning. Allen waited until Friday night until he started packing for his room in LWC's Horton Hall.

"I kept a mental list, and I did sit down on Friday night and write out a list of things I thought I'd need," Allen said.

Allen said his parents, Greg and Dawn, and girlfriend Naomi Galito of Russell Springs, Ky., helped him put his lists -- both mental and physical -- into action on Friday night.

"They helped me pack and get everything together," Allen said. "We were up pretty late working on it."

By 11 a.m. Saturday, Allen had transformed his Horton Hall room into a fashionable college living space. All it lacked were power strips and a trash can.

"That's not too bad," Allen said over lunch at the college's Roberta D. Cranmer Dining & Conference Center.

Allen was one of more than 800 students who moved Saturday into LWC's residence halls. They joined about 300 students who started moving into campus housing in early August.

LWC officials will not know final enrollment numbers for a several weeks, but they expect the college to have a record enrollment of more than 2,700 students in 2012-13. The 2012 fall semester officially begins Aug. 22.

Officials already know that the college's freshman class is the most talent in LWC's 109-year history.

"This is the most academically gifted and talented class in this college's history," LWC President William T. Luckey Jr. said at a Saturday afternoon welcome ceremony at the Doris and Bob Holloway Health & Wellness Center. "I look forward to seeing the great things you will accomplish and shaking your hands four years from now when you walk across the stage at Biggers Sports Center as members of the Lindsey Wilson Class of 2016."

Throughout their first week on campus, new residential students will be involved in numerous team-building and orientation activities designed to inculcate them to LWC campus life.

Most residential students arrived on campus by 9 a.m. CT Saturday and were met by LWC faculty, staff and students and community members who helped them move into their residence-hall rooms. Many residential students had coordinated how their rooms would be furnished, such as roommates  Ryan Harper and Dustin Nash, both of Russellville, Ky. Harper and Nash said they started to discuss their living arrangements about two months ago.

Assisted by their families, the two were unpacked and settled by mid-morning. In addition to the usual dorm-life furniture and accessories, the two also unloaded more than a half-dozen bulk-quantity boxes of snack cakes and candy.

"That will get us through about two weeks," Nash said.

A big reason move-in day went so smoothly was because how various LWC offices across campus worked together.

"It was a very smooth day," said LWC Dean of Students Chris Schmidt. "Every department and office did a great job coming together and welcoming our new students to campus. … I always enjoy the start of a new semester because it marks a new beginning for everyone --  students, faculty and staff.

"When I see faculty and staff coming together to help the new students make this new chapter in their life meaningful, it is simply impressive. Lindsey Wilson College makes the transition for students and parents easy and stress-free."

Although moving into residence halls was relatively easy for students and their families, saying goodbye was not as painless.

Before Allen of Jamestown came to LWC, his mother, Dawn, cooked his favorite meal, spaghetti and meatballs, on Friday night.

"She cried at the meal while we were eating," Allen's father, Greg, said.

But as Dawn Allen explained, the tears were as much about being excited for her son as they were about seeing her son leave home.

"I'm very excited about the next leg of his journey in life, but as a mom you get the right to mourn that and be excited at the same time," she said.

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Click here to see more pictures from move-in day.
Click here for the opening-week schedules.