MILWAUKEE — Freshmen move-in day has begun at Marquette University as more than 1,600 students make their way through the doors just in time for the start of the fall semester.
"I'm really excited to move in and start at college," said Marquette freshman Andrea Penesis.
With moving boxes in hand and carts filled to the top with new bedding, coffee makers, and more, hundreds of freshmen and their families moved into the dorms at Marquette, a place they'll soon call home for the next four years.
"My car just got here, and we're getting everything unpacked, getting ready to move in, I just got my keys," said freshman Drew Donahoe.
For freshman Ceci Zuniga, she says she moved all the way from Guatemala just to attend Marquette. It's a place she says she fell in love with almost instantly.
"When I came to visit, it felt like home away from home, and when the tour finished, I knew I had to come here," said Zuniga.
The move-in day comes just two months after Marquette officials announced that they would be requiring students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to attend the university.
"With the vaccination, it just provides us hopefully somewhat of a little greater security to be able to keep us in motion all-year long," said Mary Janz, the executive director of housing and residence life at Marquette University.
"I actually had a chance to get vaccinated here in the U.S., so I have nothing to worry about," said Zuniga.
Marquette says 90% of students have been vaccinated against the virus, while the other 10% were exempted due to religious and medical reasons or personal convictions.
"As we see the Delta variant performing, I think people are really feeling much more safe, much more optimistic about being here," said Janz.
And it's a decision that students say makes them feel more comfortable moving onto campus.
"It makes me feel a lot safer and I think that it will be good that we can be in person instead of taking the risk," said incoming freshman Noelle Simone.
