Lehigh welcomed the Class of 2028 on Thursday during Move-In Day, a longstanding tradition for first-year students who are arriving on campus to check into their residence halls.
An integral part of the Lehigh experience, the festive occasion starts at Mountaintop where new students check in and receive orientation materials outlining where their residence halls are. Cheered on by their orientation leaders waving giant foam fingers, new students are greeted with music and Lehigh-themed giveaways. Part of what makes the day so special is the reception new classmates and their families receive from fellow students and volunteers, including faculty, staff and administrators.
This year’s incoming undergraduate class includes 1,515 students, many of whom arrived on campus earlier this week. The undergraduates come from 42 different countries, including Afghanistan, Egypt and Uzbekistan, and more than 40 states and territories.
They were welcomed by more than 1,000 volunteers as part of the MOOV (Made of Our Volunteers) program. MOOV representatives direct traffic, unload cars and deliver belongings to dorm rooms. This year's volunteers included 140 faculty and staff members and 886 students, said Chris Ottey, associate director of housing services.
Move-In Day was capped off by a weekend of festivities, including Faux Friday. Hosted by the Office of the First-Year Experience at Lehigh, the annual event aims to introduce the incoming class to South Bethlehem restaurants. On Saturday, students are invited to attend The Rally. Every year, the incoming class is adopted by the class who was introduced to Lehigh 50 years prior.
