University of La Verne Welcomes New Students as Campus Reopens
Hundreds of first-year students eagerly lined up on August 15 at the check-in booth outside of Citrus Hall, the newest housing facility on the University of La Verne central campus, to collect their dorm keys. New students were finally moving into campus facilities for the first time since the pandemic necessitated remote-only instruction in March 2020.
Groups of new students and their families arrived during their reserved move-in times. Parents and members of the football team helped shuffle students鈥� belongings into their rooms and chatted about the first night鈥檚 dinner: burgers and vegan tacos.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to have our first floor meeting tonight and I am so excited to have everyone here,鈥� said Elisa Novo, senior chemistry major and resident assistant (RA) for Citrus Hall.
Christian Cavanias, a freshman mathematics major, recently graduated from Los Altos High School in Hacienda Heights and is excited about getting involved at the university. Cavanias wants to meet new people, build relationships, get a good education, and live on his own for the first time. He鈥檚 also considering getting involved in student government or other leadership opportunities. After graduation, he鈥檇 like to become a mathematics teacher.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 been my calling,鈥� Cavanias said about following in the footsteps of his parents who are educators. 鈥淢y family is in education鈥t鈥檚 a passion of mine.鈥�
Freshman business major Vivecca Baray drove three hours from Santa Maria, California with her mother Melissa, a stack of suitcases, and boxes full of room d茅cor ready to wheel into Citrus Hall. Baray is a new golf athlete for the university. 鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely something you cannot prepare for, but it鈥檚 exciting to know that she鈥檚 going to do something for herself,鈥� Baray鈥檚 mother said about her daughter leaving for college. Melissa believes the university will provide her daughter with a safe place to learn and grow as the pandemic subsides. 鈥淚鈥檓 glad that she actually gets to go to school this year as opposed to being at home distance-learning,鈥� Melissa Baray said.
At Vista La Verne Residence Hall, housing and residential life staff also welcomed new students. Jenna de Leon, a senior legal studies major, is an RA for sophomores and juniors in Vista Hall. Her advice for students is to jump into events, join in networking opportunities, and make friends. 鈥淭he college experience is what you make of it,鈥� she said.
University of La Verne students are ready to do all they can in order to stay safe and make this year the best one yet. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to get too comfortable and have to go leave again, but we鈥檒l just be really on top of masks, because that鈥檚 what鈥檚 going to keep us on campus–especially in the dorms,鈥� Novo said.
