850 Students Move Into University of La Verne Residence Halls

Jeanine Martinez’s two older children have already gone off to college, so her visit to the University of La Verne to see off her daughter, Lanea, was a somewhat familiar experience.

That does not mean it was easy. Lanea, a psychology and child development major, is the last child to leave home.

“This is our baby, so it’s very emotional for us today,” Martinez said.

Lanea was one of about 350 new students who began their college adventure on Aug. 23 by moving in to the campus residence halls. About 850 students in total will live on campus for the 2017-18 academic year.

Parents and students began this new chapter of their lives by lugging suitcases, refrigerators, bedding, and other miscellaneous belongings into the rooms throughout the day.

Like Martinez, Christina Carmell of Upland was also coming to terms with her newly-empty nest. Her daughter, Kaitlynn, a criminology major, is her only child.

“It’s scary, but I’m not that far, so I can still go home,” Kaitlynn said.

Nina and James Freeman of Rialto helped their son, Nicholas, move into the Stu-Han residence hall. They have two older sons, but Nicholas is the first in his family pursue a college degree. The biology major hopes to become a dentist.

He assembled a window shade while his mother wiped down furniture with Pine-Sol.

“I want to make it smell more like home for him,” she said.

While Freeman and his family organized his side of the room, his roommate, Hovik Oganezov, of Duarte stood nearby. The communications major said he chose the University of La Verne because of its size.

“When I came here and saw the small campus and small classes – that appealed to me,” he said.

About 125 student volunteers helped new students move in and settle. They included members of the football team and student organizations.

Michael Medina, a senior kinesiology major, was in his third year as a volunteer. The day reminded him of his own experience as a freshman.

“It was a lot of excitement not knowing what I was getting into. It was a new life, new everything and my first time moving out of the house,” he said.

Sigma Kappa sorority member Brooke Soto, a senior music major, volunteered because of the sense of community that it brings.

“I like the students helping students,” she said.

This is the last year students will live in two of the residence halls – Stu-Han and Brandt. The university is building a new residence and dining hall slated for completion in fall 2018.