GSP Project Move-In Volunteer Guide [AY 2022-23]

Georgetown Scholars Program

Project Move In

Fall 2022 Volunteer Guide

THANK YOU! Thank you again for ensuring that students who are unable to travel here with their own loved ones, family, or friends are given a warm friendly welcome from their new Georgetown community.

From a past Project Move-In student participant: Project Move-In was totally awesome. I couldn’t imagine moving in without Kerry and the Coury family. I remember when I first arrived to baggage claim and saw Matt with an “Angela Williams” sign, frantically looking for me. I instantly felt like I belonged. The children–Maria, Elizabeth, William, and John–were so sweet and made moving into college without my biological family an enjoyable experience. They even helped me make my bed. After the initial move-in, Kerry and the baby, Elizabeth, went out of their way by taking me to Target. Kerry, with a baby strapped to her chest, helped me carry what I bought back to my room. It was very hard to say “goodbye” to the family, but I knew it was a “see you later.” After Project Move-In, I can say that I truly have a surrogate Georgetown family who extended their home and love to me as I began my journey at Georgetown University.

Thank you GSP and the Coury Family.

– Angela Williams A video of Project Move-In: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEqSY6PtEV8

About the Georgetown Scholars Program GSP students are often the first in their families to attend college. GSP provides its students with the resources and opportunities that will help them to succeed at Georgetown and beyond. Within GSP, students have access to necessity funding, an accomplished alumni network, mentoring programs, campus connections and more. GSP’s innovative program helps Georgetown to be a global leader in enrolling AND retaining first-generation and/or lowincome students and providing them with dedicated support throughout their college experience.

MISSION: The mission of the Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP) is to serve Georgetown students who identify as first-generation and/or lowincome.

There are 650+ GSP students in total on campus, about 130+ of those are new students!

The majority will be among the first generation in their families to attend college.

Thank you for volunteering your time to help support students during this exciting yet stressful time! We know how deep of an impact this initiative has had on those who have participated in Project Move-In.

mediate m I s ' o D ly o T Introduction

Please call the new student assigned to you to introduce yourself as their Project Move-In Volunteer (as a volunteer with GSP), give the student a warm 'Hello!', and confirm the student still would like a pick-up and assistance moving in.

Please feel free to shoot them a text! Texts are often answered more than calls these days :) Tell the student a little about yourself and find out a little about the student.

Please make sure flight/train/bus schedules (Days! Times! Flight numbers! Airlines!) are correct and explain that you’ll be checking on arrival status online just in case there’s a delay. If the student misses their flight (it happens!), have them call you. If you can accommodate their later arrival time, we’d appreciate you picking the student up at the new arrival time. If you can’t, please reach out the GSP Office at gsphoyas@georgetown.edu so we can arrange another method of pickup.

It has been during these “unexpected circumstances” in the past that the real beauty of Project Move-In has materialized. Amid earthquakes, hurricanes and delayed flights, volunteers rolled with it and made students feel extra “at home.”

Student Reminders Explain that you’ll meet in baggage claim or outside of the station, and will drive them to (or meet them on) campus and will help the student move in and get settled.

Please exchange cell phone numbers and ask the student to save it in their phone right then.

Remind the student to bring their ID (state ID, driver's license, passport) for their flight; the student will also need it for other check-in purposes on campus.

Ask the student to call you when they get off their flight/train. Tell the student you will also bring a sign with their name on it (sample signs are attached to this email). You may want to tell them what you’ll wear that day – Georgetown shirts, for example, or a bright color!

Please ask student to have their move-in and check-in materials (typically sent to them by GU in early August) on hand. This has information on their Residence Hall, testing, check-in time, etc.

Ask the student to bring their cell phone and charger on them– i.e. not packed on the day of travel! Those phones have a way of dying when you really need to reach someone! Please remind the student to call you when they land or if any problems arise.

To Dos on the Day Of

Print a sign with the student’s name on it (effective!) and bring with you to the airport/station. If possible, please share a pic with your student with us at gsphoyas@georgetown.edu Check flight/train/bus status before leaving for the airport/station to make sure it is on-time. If you are able to, send them a text to make sure everything is going alright (moving to a new place is stressful and this could really help a nervous student!).

Very thoughtful but not mandatory: Please consider bringing water and a snack (granola bars are universally good) for the student. Especially after a long flight, this would be MUCH appreciated! These little niceties go a LONG way.

Park in a local lot at the airport/station (rates run about $20). Please don’t hesitate to ask the GSP Office for reimbursement if costs are a concern.

Meet the student in baggage claim/arranged location.

Chat and help them with their bags.

Driving & Parking in Georgetown If arriving by car, please enter campus via Canal Road. For GPS purposes, use 3611 Canal Road NW, Washington DC, 20007. Look for the "Hoya Saxa" sign!

Parking on-campus is free for up to two hours in designated areas. If parking on city streets, obey posted parking signs to avoid any tickets!

Your student will receive detailed instructions for arrival via vehicle - ask them to share that information with you! Please keep in mind that during Move-In Day (August 18th and 19th), campus will experience increased traffic. There should be plenty of move-in staff to help with any questions!

We recommend you come prepared with some fun tunes, water, and snacks! Please review detailed parking information as it pertains to the different dorms on Residential Living's Fall 2022 New Student Move-In Webpage.

Just so you aren’t caught unaware, the line to get into the parking garage can often be a very long wait.

Previous years, volunteers have reported hour long waits, with this in mind, we suggest you brainstorm fun conversation ideas!

Be wary of the construction on campus—especially for students in Darnall Hall (the dorm won't be accessible from Reservoir Road! Check out GU's master planning page to see which roadways are impacted by construction!

Once on Campus...

Each student is assigned a move-in time specific to the building they will be living in. They have been asked not to arrive before their time to avoid congestion and traffic back ups.

Students will enter campus through a designed move-in route on their assigned move-in date & time in their vehicle. Students will queue in front of their assigned building where move-in aides will meet you and assist in unloading their personal items into move-in carts.

Extra move-in carts are available for check out if needed. Your student should label their boxes with their name and cellphone number, in the case they're separated from them!

Getting Settled

Bedding: If your student requested bedding from GSP, they may pick up their bedding from the Healey Family Student Center (HFSC) Dance Studio B Your student will be emailed the distribution details so remind them to check their GU emails! We should be your second stop of the day!

If your student arrives outside of our designated pick up hours, we’ve instructed them via email to plan accordingly. Unfortunately we cannot make accommodations for early/late arrivals.

How to get to HFSC Dance Studio: HFSC is located next to New South Dormitory and is across the street from Leo O'Donovan Dining Hall. You can walk up the NS Hill on library walk and make a right when you get to the area where New South meets the Village A Apartments!

Move luggage into the room, meet the roommate, all those fun things!

If you find items in need of repair during the move-in process, please help or encourage your student to submit a FACILITIES WORK ORDER.

COVID-19 Policies Fall 2022

Please note: Wearing a mask is optional in on the University's campus and in University-owned or operated buildings but high quality masks will be available at the entrances of most buildings. Read more on the Covid-19 Campus Mask Policies.

We encourage you and your student to have a conversation about your levels of comfort and concerns regarding mask-wearing and other health and safety precautions before you meet each other at the airport/ station.

All participants both students and volunteers are asked to communicate and be respectful of each others' comfort levels and preferences when it comes to masking! We are a community of caring Hoyas for others so let's keep all members in our community safe!

All students are required to test between 48 hours before and 24 hours after arriving on campus! Hopefully your student will have scheduled their appointment ahead of time! COVID-19 Testing can be done at the Leavey Center.

Additional Resources for Students Post Move-In

Immediately If your schedule allows, you may offer the student a trip to Target as well. We have let students know that if they make the trip that they are expected to cover the cost of their own purchases.

The drive to Target alone is so appreciated!

Very thoughtful but not mandatory: if your schedule allows, please offer to share a meal with the student. It’s a small touch but it really brings together the familial and comforting presence of Project Move-In!

Useful Resources: Students will have received these informational guides before arriving on campus, however, these may be also useful for you in case your student has questions!

GSP Student Thrive Guide GSP Parent Guide (English) GSP Parent Guide (Spanish)

Finally, we encourage you to stay in touch with your students and check in with them in October (midterms season), potentially reach out for a coffee date during Parent's Weekend, and around holidays. These students are typically students who are not able to go home around the holidays, so it would be wonderful if you could maintain a relationship with them and be there for them around these times.