July 06, 2026
Show your Saluki spirit and volunteer to help SIU students move in to residence halls
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois University Carbondale campus is gearing up for a new semester and volunteers from the campus and community are invited to help new and returning Salukis move into their new homes away from home.
University Housing organizers say volunteers provide valuable assistance to students and their families as well as giving SIU and community organizations the chance to be seen and recognized for their work. Individuals and groups are encouraged to sign up by Friday, Aug. 1, to be part of the move-in squad.
Helpers are needed during these dates and times:
- Wednesday, Aug. 12 — first-year and other new students will move into all residence hall locations, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
- Friday, Aug. 14 — all returning students, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Sign up now
Volunteers can sign up for up to two shifts per day, and in registering, they commit to assisting any student who needs help for the entire time they sign up for.
Anyone who is 18 or older is invited to help. The complete details, along with a required liability waiver and links to sign up, can be found on the University Housing move-in volunteer webpage. Email Laura Eaton at University Housing at laura.eaton@siu.edu with any questions.
Staying safe
After volunteers check in and submit waivers, they will receive lanyards that officially recognize them as part of the “move-in squad,” making them easily identifiable for students and their families. The volunteer tents will be outside of Grinnell Hall, facing Mae Smith Hall and in front of Baldwin Hall, across from Lentz Hall. Watch for signs.
On move-in days, parking will be reserved for volunteers and families in lots 23, 39 and 4 on the west side of campus and lots 55 and 106 on the east side. View a campus map (PDF).
For safety and security, each volunteer, even if part of a group, must have a lanyard and waiver — and only those with lanyards will be allowed at move-in. Due to the heat and the large number of people in the move-in space, organizers recommend that volunteers wear T-shirts, shorts that are at or below the knee and closed-toed athletic shoes. Groups are encouraged to wear branded clothing. No solicitation is allowed during move-in.
Volunteers can also enjoy reduced-price meals, costing $9, on move-in days at Trueblood and Lentz Halls, courtesy of University Housing.