There are two key sentiments Boulder City Manager Jane S. Brautigam works to impart as she and her staff help students and their parents move into CU Boulder residence halls during move-in week.
As the city official fills bins with electronics, rugs, mirrors and other college essentials and pushes them into rooms students will call home for the next academic year, she does her best to make students feel welcome and to reassure parents that the city cares about the well-being of their children.
鈥淚 want them to hear that from my voice鈥攖hat their kids are going to be safe and welcome and our community will embrace them,鈥� said Brautigam, herself the mother of two CU Boulder graduates. 鈥淲e as a city are happy that young people are here to make us more vibrant.鈥�
As in previous years, the city manager and her staff will join other campus and government leaders who are rolling up their sleeves during Fall Welcome and move-in week, an annual rite of passage at college campuses across the country that helps create a sense of belonging, permanence, interconnectedness and tradition.
This year鈥檚 notable volunteers at CU Boulder will include Chancellor Phil DiStefano, Provost Russell Moore and Colorado Congressman Jared Polis.
"As a friend and neighbor of CU Boulder, I鈥檓 happy to help students move in as they prepare for the upcoming school year.听Move-in day听provides me with an opportunity to听hear听directly from students about听their goals听and discuss how they are managing the costs of their education.
"While I鈥檓 moving boxes today, I will soon be听back in听Washington, D.C., continuing my advocacy听to make higher education more affordable.听Today I welcome all the new Buffs to this beautiful campus, and听I want them to know I鈥檓听here for them,鈥� said听Polis.听
Altogether, about 1,750 volunteers signed up for Fall Welcome, with 1,200 of them focusing on moving students into residence halls, said Hannah Wilks, director of the CU Boulder Volunteer Resource Center.
Most of the volunteers are upperclassmen, staff and faculty who will ferry students and their families across campus in golf carts or help them cart belongings from vehicles to residence halls. They and others have many reasons for helping students move into their residence halls each year. For some, it鈥檚 about community service and sharing advice on how to navigate successfully through the campus environment.
For city staff, it鈥檚 all of that, plus an opportunity for team building.
鈥淚 like being on campus with my team,鈥� said Jennifer Korbelik, a CU Boulder alumna who is the CU community coordinator and liaison between the campus and the city manager鈥檚 office. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a chance to bring them up to my other home鈥攖o CU鈥攚here I spend a lot of time.鈥�
