2018 Move-In Weekend: Alumni Recap
“Meet me at graduation,” Marsha McCoy (‘08) challenged Campbell’s incoming freshmen at Sunday’s medallion ceremony. Incoming students are presented by a faculty or staff member with a medallion signifying the start of their college career; they then wear this same medallion as they cross the stage at graduation, bookending their experience. In her speech, McCoy attempted to subvert the tired, old cliche, “Look to your right, look to your left. One of these people will not be here by graduation,” instead setting the expectation high that the group of students before her will complete their college degree. Campbell University and her alumni are eager to support every incoming student and give them the resources they need to thrive and make it to graduation day.
McCoy’s speech was the culmination of a busy weekend for Campbell alumni. Alumni volunteers helped freshmen move into their residence halls on Saturday by hauling boxes, lifting suitcases, and making sure each student had everything they needed delivered to the correct room. Volunteers worked with a smile through the heat, ensuring students received a friendly welcome to Campbell University.
After a morning of hard work, the Office of Alumni Engagement hosted a lunch for incoming legacy students and their families. A legacy student is a student whose parent or grandparent also graduated from Campbell. A couple of families are enrolling third generation Campbell legacies this year, while a few other legacy students have two parents who graduated from Campbell. The lunch was filled to standing room only, the best turnout that the Office of Alumni Engagement has seen since beginning this tradition two years previously.
Seventy guests attended the lunch, including legacy students, legacy parents or grandparents, and their family member or friends. Andy Bowman (‘93 PharmD, RPh), director of continuing professional education at the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, spoke to the group gathered for lunch, welcoming them to Campbell and commenting on their unique position as legacy families. Bowman is a member of a legacy family as well, along with his wife, Sarah Bowman (‘07 Law) who serves as director of alumni relations and health policy for Campbell’s medical school, and daughters Summer (’19) and Sarah (’21), both of whom currently attend Campbell.
Sarah Swain (’05), assistant vice president of alumni engagement at Campbell, said, “Our third annual Legacy Lunch started as a way to celebrate the tradition of a Campbell education. We appreciate that our parents and grandparents, value their own Campbell degree and have instilled the desire for learning and higher education into their families. We hope our students remember this tradition of being a Campbell Legacy with strong appreciation and embrace this new family they are now a part of.”
The beginning of a new school year means, as Swain said, new Campbell students become a part of the Campbell family. The Office of Alumni Engagement hopes that alumni stay in contact with this family as they continue throughout their career, as well as give their time and support to students just beginning their education at Campbell. Move-In Weekend was a tremendous success, thanks to assistance from alumni and friends.
View a photo recap from the 2018 Legacy Luncheon here.
Learn more about Campbell alumni programs, news, and events at alumni.campbell.edu.