{"id":110578,"date":"2026-09-08T14:14:08","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T14:14:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/?p=110578"},"modified":"2026-09-11T20:25:38","modified_gmt":"2026-09-11T20:25:38","slug":"students-make-uri-their-home-during-festive-move-in-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2026\/09\/students-make-uri-their-home-during-festive-move-in-weekend\/","title":{"rendered":"Students make URI their home during festive move-in weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 Sept. 8, 2026 \u2013 As her family helped move her belongings from Queens, New York, into her residence hall at the University of Rhode Island, the reality of Chloe Breen\u2019s new home away from home began to sink in, making the moment feel surreal for her. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s a typical feeling for many new students who are experiencing life on their own for the first time. Even Breen\u2019s father, Kevin, had to do a double take as his daughter\u2019s residence hall room took shape, seeing his child beginning her journey toward conquering the medical world. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Hundreds of URI students volunteered to help new students move into their residence halls during move-in weekend. (URI photos\/Michael Salerno)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cSending your little girl off into the world is a milestone,\u201d he said. \u201cSeeing her go off to another state is a big change for us. But I know she will do great here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Breen, a first-year student majoring in nursing, is ready for an exciting life on the Kingston Campus. \u201cI like being independent,\u201d she said. \u201cAs an older sibling, I feel like I\u2019m always doing things on my own at home. I\u2019m very organized and ready to be on my own.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breen was among the approximately 5,400 on-campus residential students who were welcomed by the University Sept. 4-7 during URI\u2019s festive move-in weekend. Hundreds of faculty, staff and student volunteers cheered and aided the new and returning URI students and their families by moving belongings and mementos into residence halls throughout the weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n

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URI President Marc Parlange, center, greets a family outside a residence hall during move-in weekend.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

These students, part of the University\u2019s student body of more than 17,000, will live in more than two dozen Kingston Campus residence halls\u2014part of 14 living and learning communities\u2014during the 2026-27 academic year. Another 600 students will live in more than a dozen Greek Life houses, while about 100 more will reside in the Grandin International Engineering, Texas Instruments, and Talent Development Achievement houses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

URI President Marc Parlange and Mary Parlange, Provost Barbara Wolfe, Vice President for Student Affairs Ellen Reynolds, Assistant Vice President for Housing and Residential Life Tom Cooley were among the first to greet students during the weekend festivities, which included grilled hot dogs and sandwiches from URI Police.  <\/p>\n\n\n

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URI first-year student Chloe Breen, of Queens, New York, moved into her residence hall with the help of her father, Kevin Breen. (URI photos\/James Bessette)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Delanie Hill, a junior from Charlotte, North Carolina\u2014and new member of the University\u2019s Atlantic 10 Conference champion women\u2019s basketball team\u2014said that along with providing assistance in moving new students into the residence halls, volunteers also offer a welcoming presence, which helps calm first-day nerves for new students and families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all about being nice and willing to help, and also show incoming students that this school is a great place to be,\u201d said Hill, who volunteered near Bressler Hall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaking a good first impression to everyone is the most important thing for us,\u201d said volunteer Joey Lussier, a sophomore from Danvers, Massachusetts, majoring in finance and economics. \u201cThese first couple of days are critical for students in being on that right path toward a good life. We want to make new friends and be friends for them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Settling in<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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URI first-year student DeMarcus Jackson, of North Providence, got settled into his new residence hall room with his mother, Tina Sangiovanni, helping. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Students and parents commented on the University\u2019s smooth move-in process. \u201cThis was awesome,\u201d said Tina Sangiovanni, of North Providence, who was helping her son, DeMarcus Jackson, move into his residence hall. \u201cI brought two cars and everything was unloaded and out in 20 seconds. Everyone was amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jackson said URI\u2019s kinesiology program and the opportunity it provided to work with physical therapists was what brought him 45 minutes south to the Kingston Campus, and staying close to home. He hopes to join the University\u2019s DECA program<\/a>, a student-led organization that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in business, finance, marketing and management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m just excited to start a new chapter in my life,\u201d said Jackson, who hopes to work as a physical therapist in professional sports. \u201cI really liked the Quad when I first came here and it looks like a nice space to gather with other students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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URI first-year student Natalie Hoague, second from right, of Somers, Connecticut, moved into her residence hall with the assistance of her family, from left, grandmother Eva Mialhoft, mother Kathy Hoague and father Michael Hoague.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The University\u2019s kinesiology program also attracted both Haley Pistaccio and Anna Hebert from North Providence and Amherst, New Hampshire, respectively. Pistaccio, who hopes to become a physical therapist, admits the feeling of living away from home has not settled in yet, but plans to be active on campus outside of academia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI want to try and join club soccer here,\u201d said Pistaccio, who played soccer in high school, \u201cbut that will depend on what my workload is from classes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hebert, who earned a Presidential Scholarship<\/a>, hopes to become an occupational therapist after URI. One student-led club that helps raise service dogs as future guides for those who are visually impaired piqued Hebert\u2019s interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Puppy Raisers Club is really cute and I\u2019m interested in joining that,\u201d Hebert said. \u201cI also played tennis in high school and would like to join the club tennis team here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Pictured from left, URI students Geraldine Johanna Arcelay, Jules Piscatelli, Kennedy Burke and Tiahnna Dalpezzo cheer on new students as they move into their residence halls.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Being close to home\u2014and to nearby beaches in Narragansett\u2014led Natalie Hoague to choose URI. Hoague, of Somers, Connecticut, who will start taking courses in the College of Health Sciences this fall, plans to join the University\u2019s dance club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been competitive dancing since second grade, and would love to join the club here to continue that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nick Johansen, a freshman from Melrose, Massachusetts, who moved in with help from his family\u2014father Mathias, mother Amanda, aunt Danielle Knight and uncle Eddie Knight\u2014is looking forward to being challenged academically at URI. He\u2019s majoring in wildlife conservation biology, with an early goal to become a conservation officer.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Approximately 5,400 on-campus residential students were welcomed by the University Sept. 4-7 during URI\u2019s move-in weekend on the Kingston Campus. More than 17,000 students will begin classes on Sept. 9.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cI really have an interest in animals and want to protect them,\u201d said Johnansen, who is enrolled in URI\u2019s Honors Program<\/a> and plans to work as an on-campus EMS paramedic. \u201cPlus, getting to know the people here, it became clear that URI was the best fit for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

URI\u2019s fall classes begin Wednesday, Sept. 9, and the new year is already in full swing. URI\u2019s O-Week<\/a> (Sept. 4-8) has already featured hundreds of on-campus events\u2014including URI\u2019s RhodyFest on Sunday\u2014all designed to introduce new students to campus and each other. O-Week will culminate later today with an official class welcome from President Parlange, class picture on the Quad, and class T-shirts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 Sept. 8, 2026 \u2013 As her family helped move her belongings from Queens, New York, into her residence hall at the University of Rhode Island, the reality of Chloe Breen\u2019s new home away from home began to sink in, making the moment feel surreal for her.  That\u2019s a typical feeling for many […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":110580,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[12,88,30,25,4,56,41,5,1914,127,1902,1915],"class_list":["post-110578","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-archives","tag-college-of-arts-and-sciences","tag-college-of-business","tag-college-of-education","tag-college-of-engineering","tag-college-of-health-sciences","tag-college-of-nursing","tag-college-of-pharmacy","tag-college-of-the-environment-and-life-sciences","tag-graduate","tag-graduate-school-of-oceanography","tag-student-engagement","tag-undergraduate"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110578","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=110578"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110578\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":110590,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110578\/revisions\/110590"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/110580"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=110578"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=110578"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=110578"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}