A caravan of packed cars swarmed Augustana College Friday.
Students are returning to its campus for move-in day.
More than 700 new students are settling into life on campus.
“I’m super excited. It’s really cool experience just to gain that independence, meet all these people and it’s such an exciting time for me,” Freshman Maggie Lukas said.
Students from across 26 states and 22 countries but also Rock Island’s backyard look to make Augustana College their home the next four years.
Freshman Jake Rush from Aledo said, “It’s been kind of stressful but at the same time, it’s really cool to be able to come to do this thing on my own and start a new chapter.”
Freshmen and their parents spent some last moments together and parting advice before going their separate ways.
Lukas said, “Mom and dad are helping out a lot, which is super great. Yeah, it’s a mess but we’ll get there.”
For the mom of freshman Joseph McCoy, it’s a common routine that’s coming to an end.
Mother Jean McCoy said, “He’s the youngest of our three, so we’ve kind of done this before but it’s going to be a real different feel at home. It’s the right time, we’re excited. I think he’s made a good choice but already the tears are flowing.”
Joseph said he’s ready for the new adventures at his feet.
Freshman Joseph McCoy said, “Meeting new people and new opportunities, and kind of changing, cause high school is so repetitive I feel like, so having a different schedule I feel will be really nice.”
And it’s not just Joseph, but all of Augustana that will be on a new schedule.
When classes start on Tuesday, it will be a learning experience as semesters, which are used by many other colleges, becomes the new school calendar.
Provost and Dean of College Wendy Hilton-Morrow said, “We’re excited to be on a semester schedule. We have been working as an entire campus for three years to ensure that it’s a smooth transition.”
Since the early 1990s, they’d been teaching with a trimesters system.
That’s three terms a year over ten weeks each to learn the coursework.
After three years of work, students and staff will see the semester system in play. That’s 14 weeks each between two terms.
Along with a January or J-term of about three weeks.
Hilton-Morrow said, “What particular classes look like has changed and certainly lots of new courses offerings that we didn’t necessarily have on trimesters.”
And one of the main reasons for the change, the college said is it’s better suited for how students learn.
“The switch from trimesters to semesters gave us an opportunity to look at every part of our curriculum and ask ourselves, what the skills our students need today and rather than tweaking around the edge, we were able to really go in and make some significant changes where we saw the need to do so,” said Hilton-Morrow.
Dr. Hilton-Morrow added this also makes it easier for students to transfer and for greater course offerings that don’t fit well with the trimester set up for learning.
This incoming class will be doing a lot of that as they launch a new school year.
Lukas said, “Transitioning into adulthood, and making all of my life long friends, I feel like, that’s going to be the best part of my college experience.”
The college also said the J-term will also give students more unique opportunities where they focus on one course or study abroad.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7sMHRqqyanJOewaqx0meaqKVfo7K4v46lppyZnGK7psPSaJiun6WowaK6wGaunqSTpLqmv4ynnLBlo6nCpbHNrapmmZ6ZeqOxxqKlrGWRYrumw4ysnKado6mys3nSnJ%2BenKWhsnA%3D