Warm Welcome 2024

Helping students move in was a very rewarding experience! Being able to ease the nerves of freshmen by greeting them with a warm smile and helping them carry their belongings into their new dorm rooms created a positive and welcoming atmosphere on campus. I loved this volunteer experience!

Skills/Personal Development: Through this service experience, I developed stronger teamwork and communication skills by collaborating with other volunteers and assisting new students and families with their move-in process. I also improved my problem-solving and time management abilities, ensuring everything ran smoothly while remaining patient and empathetic during this stressful and hectic transition.

Understanding/Awareness: I learned that the U of M campus community is incredibly supportive and welcoming, especially toward new students adjusting to campus life. A lot of schools don't have weeks of welcome, let alone move in helpers so it was just great to see. We created a great sense of belonging, with us Wow leaders and other volunteers going out of their way to ensure a smooth and positive transition for freshmen and their families.

Relationship/Teamwork: I worked as part of a team, which I think made the experience more efficient and fun. I met some great people and created new friendships. Collaborating with others allowed us to divide tasks, support one another, and create a welcoming environment amongst ourselves and the freshmen, which enhanced the overall impact of our efforts.

Organizational Impact/ Alignment: My service contributed to the overall mission of Weeks of Welcome by helping create a smooth and positive transition for incoming freshmen, aligning with the goal of fostering a welcoming and supportive campus community. By assisting with move-ins, I helped new students feel more comfortable and connected to their new environment.

Reflection/Improvement: One unexpected challenge we faced was managing the large number of families arriving at the same time, leading to congestion and confusion. We overcame this by improving our communication, directing families to available parking spots, getting carts back as fast as possible, and coordinating with other volunteers to ensure a smoother flow of movement and quicker assistance for families arriving.

I enjoyed the experience!

Really great time helping the incoming freshmen move in!