The incoming UVM Class of 2027 is already ‘on the move’ and we (the Department of Student Life along with the Department of Residential Life) are hard at work planning and preparing for their arrival. We’re looking to welcome them ‘home’ with wide open arms when they arrive in the fall and we need your help to do it!
Any UVM offices, staff, faculty, student clubs, and engaged community members can volunteer to support First-Year Move-In. Registrants can volunteer as a group (office, club, etc.) or an individual. Note that if you are volunteering as an individual, please make sure you haven't already been counted by an office, department, or club before registering yourself.
Ready to volunteer? Click the link below to access the registration form.
Questions? Email the Department of Student Life at slife@uvm.edu.
How You Can Help
We need friendly, helpful faces to help people move in. This includes volunteers to greet and direct folks as they arrive on campus (Welcomers), and folks ready and willing to help unload cars and carry student supplies and furniture to their residence hall rooms (Movers). All volunteers will receive a move-in t-shirt, lunch voucher, and the chance to win up to $500 in prizes!
Timeline
June 30: Priority deadline for volunteer registration.
Late-June: Volunteers will be asked to provide their updated shift availability and preferences, as well as t-shirt sizes.
July 18: Deadline to register in order to receive a volunteer t-shirt and approval for early move-in (if applicable). Volunteers are still welcome to register after this date, but are not guaranteed a t-shirt or early move-in approval.
Early August: Volunteers will be assigned to shifts on either August 23 or August 24. Communication will be sent via email.
Mid-August: Volunteer info & training sessions will be offered virtually and in-person (dates and time to be announced). Advanced t-shirt pick up will be available to those currently on-campus.
August 22 & 23: Early move-in for student volunteers who are living on campus. Volunteers may only move in one day prior to their shift.
August 23 & 24: First-Year Move-In! Students will be moving in by Learning Community during these days. We will communicate with registered volunteers individually to verify their scheduled shift dates and times, as well as provide specific instructions for day-of duties.
Move-In Volunteer FAQs
What is a 'Welcomer'?
Welcomer volunteer positions do not require one to lift/move anything. These folks will be asked to help welcome students and families, provide information and directions, assist with parking management/flow of traffic, and manage information booths.
What is a 'Mover'?
Movers are volunteer positions that are bit more athletic and will require you to assist new students moving whatever size boxes you feel able to handle to their new rooms. This often includes ascending and descending many flights of stairs or moving materials in limited elevators. These positions require moderate-high physical activity.
Will food be provided if I volunteer?
Yes. All volunteers will receive a meal voucher good for the day of their move-in shift.
What shifts are available?
We need volunteers on both August 23 and August 24. There are early shifts (7:00 AM - 10:45 AM) and late shifts (10:30 AM - 2:15 PM) available each day. Volunteers will have the opportunity to indicate their availability and shift preferences in mid-June (keep an eye on your email!) and will be assigned a shift time based upon that information.
I don't plan to help with the move-in, but can I still get a t-shirt?
Unfortuntely we are not resourced to provide shirts for non-volunteers. If your office, department, or organization would like shirts but are not volunteering, please reach out to us so we can discuss a possible chartstring transfer to include your department in our order.
I want to help move-in at a specific location. Is that possible?
We will do our best to accomodate location requests, but cannot guarantee that is where we will place you. Because our need for help is spread out throughout the entire campus (and since our First-Year numbers are different from residence hall to residence hall), we may need to place you or parts of your group in other locations. Please also note that as move-in dates are based on learning community, your availability might not align with complexes that are moving in. We hope you'll be just as eager to help folks regardless of where you are placed!
If I'm a student who will be living on-campus in the fall, will I get to move in early?
Yes, volunteers who will be living on-campus will have the opportunity to move-in as early as the day prior to their volunteer shift in order to allow their participation in First-Year Move-In. After registering, Student Life will follow up to confirm the information of all students who are looking to move in early. Only after we have this information will those students, and only those students, be granted access to the halls. We will not be able to accommodate students who do not submit this information.
We need to add or subtract people from our original registration. Can we do that?
Yes. If your numbers have changed, please let us know as soon as possible so we can account for them in volunteer placement, voucher orders, and t-shirt production. You can e-mail us at studentlife@uvm.edu.