University of Wisconsin Stevens Point welcomes new freshman class as move-in day draws to a close | WSAU News/Talk 550 AM 99.9 FM

Moving Day for First Year Students at UWSP. MWC photo by Mike Leischner

STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU) – The University of Wisconsin Stevens Point welcomed its new freshman class to campus Thursday morning, giving students their first chance to move into their dorms and get a taste of what college life will be like this coming school year.

As she moved into her dorm on campus, business student Allison Lundebrek talked about what it’s like to finally have move-in day. She said, “It’s a little nerve-wracking because I’m in a new state, but I’m excited about the opportunities.”

Lundebrek, who is originally from central Minnesota and is living away from home for the first time, chose UWSP because she has family members who live nearby. However, she said meeting new people is also part of the experience: “I know one (student); she’s a year older than me, but I like meeting new people, too.”

The choice to attend UWSP was an easy one for the more than 1,700 incoming students, as the university was recognized in Wallet Hub’s “Best College Towns and Cities in America” poll, ranking fifth out of 415 cities nationwide. U.S. News and World Report ranked UW-Stevens Point 14th among regional public universities in the 12 Midwest states in 2021.

UWSP Housing and Residence Life Marketing Specialist Katie Hansen noted that moving takes months of preparation, saying, “We prepare for moving all summer long and there are a number of things we do to make sure students have a good day. We talk about it during orientations throughout the summer, we distribute information via email and on our social media, and we also provide plenty of blue carts… we even bought more this year to make it even easier… we just try to make it as smooth as possible.”

Official census data from the 10th school day for the 2023-24 academic year showed a 10 percent increase in freshman enrollment at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. In total, UW-Stevens Point welcomed 1,701 freshmen last fall and boasted one of the highest application completion rates in the UW System, at 92 percent. Graduate enrollment also increased by 5.5 percent, though transfers saw only a modest increase.