Hampton, VA - Hampton University will welcome over 1,300 freshmen and transfer students on August 24 - 25. This will be HU’s first graduating class of the next decade and they are arriving with strong academic skills and diverse backgrounds.

Students will have an activity-filled orientation and get acquainted with HU’s campus, meet with University administrators and Student Leaders, and move into their assigned residence halls.

Of the over 1,300 enrolled students, more than half applied to HU by the early action deadline of Dec. 1, 2006. Also, over half of the entering class scored 1000 or higher on the SAT and earned a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher. Of 1,200 freshmen in this year’s entering class, 191 students were awarded merit-based scholarships. According to Angela Boyd, director of admissions this year’s entering class is 65 percent female and 35 percent male. The majority of entering students are 17 or 18 years old.

New students are from 46 U.S. states and many countries including China, Turkey, Brazil, and Nigeria. The top five states represented are Virginia, Maryland, New York, California, and New Jersey. Journalism/communications is the most popular major of entering students followed by biology, undecided, psychology, and business management/5-year MBA.

Boyd also mentioned that among the many Ashleys, Brittanys, Justins and Brandons, that Jasmine is the most popular name of women and Matthew is the most popular name for men in this HU entering class.

The 2007 entering class is ready to take on all of the opportunities HU has to offer. Freshmen and transfer students alike will show their academic strength and make new friendships and memories that will last throughout their lifetimes.

For more information regarding the Hampton University 2007 New Student Orientation contact the Office of Freshmen Studies at 757-727-5243.

# HU #

For more information contact Erica Taylor Harrod @ (757) 727-5255 or email erica.harrod@hamptonu.edu.

HU student leaders roll out welcome mat for newcomers
Freshmen and transfer students get help moving in and starting off right.
BY ANGIE GREEN

247-4537

August 25, 2007

HAMPTON

"You got everything? You need some help?" Marquis Bohannon asked a family exiting a dormitory for male students at Hampton University on Friday. The family said they were fine.

Without breaking stride, Bohannon, a fourth-year business student, quickly darted off to help other incoming freshmen unpack under the hot August sun.

Friday marked the first day incoming freshmen and transfer students were allowed to move into residence halls at the private college before classes start Sept. 4. The school's incoming class is expected to include about 1,300 students from 46 states and several countries.

To welcome them into the "Hampton family," a group of more than 100 upperclassmen volunteered to help parents and incoming students do one of the most dreaded tasks: move into dorms pounds of personal belongings. Wearing matching T-shirts and Hawaiian leis and glistening with sweat, the volunteers carted storage tubs, suitcases and bedding up several flights of stairs.

"Four guys each picked up a box," said parent Jamil Abu-Shaikha, adding that the move-in was made in one trip. It was a relief for the fatigued family, who were up at 4 a.m. to travel from Northern Virginia to move freshman Rashad Abu-Shaikha.

"For Virginia Tech I basically did all the moving," said Abu-Shaikha, whose 20-year-old daughter recently moved to the Blacksburg university's campus.

The university's student volunteers are part of the Greer Dawson Student Leadership Program, an organization that assists Hampton freshmen with their transition to college. The volunteers - who include women and men students - will each act as big brother or big sister to about 12 freshmen for the school year. Hampton will match up the new students with their "big" tonight.

"(We) take them to Wal-Mart, show them the ins and outs of Hampton University and make sure they have a good year," said junior Ryan Rollings, who was up at 6:30 a.m. helping families unload cars and SUVs. "It's kind of rewarding."

Barbara Inman, associate vice president of student affairs, said the welcoming program started in the 1970s and has been a critical component of helping freshmen adjust to college life. The freshmen assigned to each mentor also bond with each other and form a group like "a cohort," said Inman.

The program has attracted the attention of other universities and colleges, including Langston University in Oklahoma. Student leaders have traveled to other campuses to help people establish similar programs, Inman said. Warwick High School in Newport News has adapted the program for its students.

With no air-conditioning in his dormitory, Abu-Shaikha said the volunteer group's efforts already helped him get through the heat on his first day.

"I didn't expect them to be as helpful," said Abu-Shaikha, who had his room set up by mid-morning. "This was really nice."

Copyright © 2007, Newport News, Va., Daily Press

Great news and great entering class.