Summer Preparatory Academy: Bringing Huskies Back to Campus
This past weekend, July 1, freshman students moved into their home in Elwell Hall for the Summer Preparatory Academy (SPA). The students moved in on Saturday, attended orientation Sunday and began classes Monday. SPA is a six-week academic program for first-year Bloomsburg University students and they live in Elwell along with Program Assistants (PA’s) who help them with their transition to college life, assisting with class-work and answering any questions students have about life on campus.
The Orientation Workshop Leaders (OWLs) ran move-in along with the Program Assistants (PA’s). They helped students and their families unload their cars, push their bins to their rooms, and unpack. Bloomsburg University is always complimented on their move-in and SPA move-in was no exception. We all know OWLs love Blomsburg; move-in and orientation is their favorite time of the school year. They were all very excited to meet the new freshman, spend time together, and welcome everyone to their new home and favorite place, Bloomsburg University.
Maggie Anthony, the OWLs Student Assistant said, “[she] feels so blessed to be able to encourage OWLs to continue being the absolute best first thing that new students and parents see” and that “As an OWL, [she] loves making new students feel comfortable and accepted as soon they step foot on-campus.”
Katie Behie, a first-year OWL said, “This weekend showed really how much I love my job even more because kids and parents are so thankful to have our help and seeing them happy makes me feel like I accomplished so much.”
Troy Platukus, the OWL treasurer said “My favorite part of move-in is undoubtedly seeing how elated families get when you offer to move in their items for them. To me, it’s the ultimate welcome to Bloomsburg University.”
“’My favorite park of the weekend was seeing how excited the students were to be moving into their new home and how their parents got to be part of it and set them all up. I love being an OWL to be able to show students my favorite place in the world…and that I get to do it with my 70+ best friends (the OWLs)” is what Carly Bonomo, a first-year OWL said about her first official event of the job.
Kassie Luna, an OWL, said “I love being able to interact with the new first-years and show them how awesome and helpful everyone in Bloom can be!”
“I love seeing first-year students fall in love with Bloomsburg. Bloom is my home and my friends are my family, so it’s cool to get to be a part of the beginning of that journey for the new students,” Kelsey Price, an OWL, said about SPA move-in weekend.
The SPA students all seemed very excited to begin their new journey at BU. Sure, there were some nerves, but we all know Bloomsburg is our home and they’ll feel that way soon too. The OWL’s wrapped up June Preview Days last month and are eager to begin the second set of Preview Days mid-July. Welcome Weekend is just around the corner, so it won’t be long until all the Huskies are back on campus and the OWLs are moving in all the first-years and excitedly running orientation in the fall.
