MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Preparations for the 2025-26 fall semester at West Virginia University start this week, and students will settle into classrooms by Wednesday, August 20. First, the incoming class will have a series of events to help them get to know their new surroundings.
On WAJR’s “Talk of the Town,” the executive director of strategic communications Shauna Johnson said there’s a lot of excitement and anticipation with growing enrollment and the first new president since 2014.
“We’re starting the year with new president Michael T. Benson, we have a first-year class of over 4,500, housing applications have increased, and there’s a lot of enthusiasm on campus right now,” Johnson said.
The move-in process will get started Thursday and runs through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Interim Dean of Students and Vice President of Student Life Carrie Showalter said the plan adopted during the pandemic to promote social distancing by giving students an assigned two-hour block to move in was very orderly and is being used again this year.
“It’s a very well-oiled machine at this point,” Showalter said. “There are people telling you where to park, and there are volunteers ready with carts ready to help people get their belongings up to their rooms—so, yes, it is a well-oiled machine.”
Once the students move in and get settled, some meaningful, time-honored events will get underway before the schedule becomes a little more serious at the beginning of the week. The FallFest lineup of performers will be announced this Friday at noon.
“Sunday Night Lights is our first-year student event,” Johnson said. “That’s Sunday at Milan Puskar Stadium, Monday night is FallFest, and the gates open at 6:30, and performances begin at 7 p.m. at the Evansdale Rec Fields.”
The first WVUp All Night will be Saturday at the Mountainlair starting at 10 p.m. Students have a wide variety of activities that include a mechanical shark and chicken wing, a retro obstacle course, games, and free food. Some games include bowling, billiards, and the Free Money Game Show.
“Up all night is wonderful because there’s something for everyone,” Showalter said. “If people like to interact in small groups, maybe they like crafting, maybe they like gaming, or maybe they like the food—there’s wonderful food there as well—there’s something for everyone.”
Tuesday things start to settle down with the Student Organization Fair planned for Tuesday from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Student Recreation Center, according to Showalter. That event is a great way to get familiar with different organizations and activities and make new friends for the upcoming year.
“I always tell students to try one academic student organization and then try something new,” Showalter said. “Maybe you want to learn to make kombucha, or maybe you want to join the club basketball team, so it’s a good opportunity for them to see what’s out there.”