About 900 Mount Royal University students will be living in residence this year, with many moving in Saturday. Residence is expected to be full for both the fall and winter semesters, but MRU is also working through a waitlist of fewer than 30 people. The university says there’s always a lot of energy on campus as new and returning students arrive. Staff are there to answer questions or lend a hand to ensure the move in goes as smoothly as possible. For many, living on campus is the key to a successful school year. “You’re living right on campus,” said Mark Keller, MRU’s director of services. “That’s a big piece of it. “We also provide a lot of community building,” Keller added. “We have student staff that live in the buildings and put on events and programs. They’re also here as an on-call support system, so if students have any issues or concerns, there’s always someone they can call and reach out to. “Security and safety is a big piece,” he said. “We work closely with our campus security team to make sure everything is good and secure.” “There’s so many people to meet in residence, and I feel like you make so many different new connections, especially in residence,” said Rebecca Pol, a first-year anthropology student. “So definitely because of the community that you meet on your floor, and just your building.” First-year business administration student Susan Nielsen said you can’t beat the walkability when you live in residence. “I would say (the appeal is) mostly convenience,” Nielsen said. “We’re right here in campus. It’s easy. You know, (never more than a) 10-minute walk here and there. So I would say that (is the biggest appeal) -- and meeting new people.” September marks MRU’s Weeks of Welcome. That’s the name for a campus-wide event designed to welcome students, help them connect and set them up for success. With files from CTV News’ Tommy Osborne
