Move-In Day brings Mavericks back to campus
Mavericks and their families hauled their belongings in trolleys, golf carts and rolling bins during Move-In Day at The University of Texas at Arlington. This week, 4,000-plus students will move into UTA’s four residence halls and seven apartment communities, becoming part of the nearly 10,000 students living on or adjacent to campus.
Elle Schuster, an Arlington resident and incoming architecture major, has been preparing and planning with her roommate for this day for the past two months.
“I simultaneously feel overpacked and underpacked because some of these bins are really heavy and others are lighter,” Schuster said. “I have not met my roommate yet, but we texted during the summer to talk about the dorm and what we both wanted.”
Jamie Sparks and Shail Jani—from Temple and Flower Mound, Texas, respectively—have several things in common: Each is new to UTA, has an alumnus parent, and has no regrets about splurging on a mini-refrigerator for their dorm. Both students considered the purchase a high priority.
Payton Malone is moving back into West Hall for his second year at UTA. The biology major is ready for the first day of school on Monday, Aug. 19, and is looking forward to making new memories and having more fun.
“This location is great for me. It’s really close to the Maverick Activities Center and it’s pretty easy to get out of here and go to nice places,” said Malone. “It’s just a good place to be and hang out with my friends to watch TV or play some pool.”
Vanessa Bacca chose UTA for its robust biomedical engineering degree program and its location in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Her mom and sister made the trip from Amarillo, Texas, to help get her settled in at West Hall.
“I love UTA’s location and its beautiful campus,” Bacca said. “I hope to make a lot of friends this year and call this place my home.”
UTA became Ovidio Cortez’s only choice once he discovered that a UTA mechanical engineering alumnus became a Formula 1 engineer—Cortez’s dream job.
“I came here to follow that path,” he said. “I want to join the UTA Formula SAE racing team and build a car. That’s what I’m going to do.”
Cortez and his family made about a nine-hour drive from Brownsville, Texas. Both his parents said they are proud of their son and hope he achieves his dreams.
“I’m beyond happy that he’s pursuing his higher education at this University,” said his mother, Maria. “I know he’s going to accomplish a lot here.”
