Spring Break
Housing fair presents options to students
Elise Phillips, Assistant Pulse Editor
Issue date: 3/19/09 Section: News
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The event was sponsored by Off-Campus Student Services, ECU Campus Living, Campus Dining, WZMB and several other off-campus partners, and boasted a variety of activities for students, including games, free food and prizes and a live DJ. Pee Dee even showed up to take part in the festivities, which took place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
According to Lucia Brannon, coordinator for Off-Campus Student Services, the event serves the approximately 70 percent of ECU students who reside off-campus.
"This is a great opportunity for students to meet managers [of different apartment complexes and housing areas] and see what's available for them off campus," said Brannon.
According to Brannon, all of the housing advertised at the event meets the safety codes of the City of Greenville, which she says gives students an opportunity to learn about safe housing in areas all over the city.
"We are trying to offer students safe housing so they don't have to live in dilapidated housing [elsewhere]," Brannon said.
Along with the 40 housing vendors, six ECU organizations, including Campus Living, the ECU Police Department and Student Legal Services were present to give both on- and off-campus students safety information and tips.
Although the fair focused primarily on off-campus housing options, Campus Living and Dining was on hand to give students a look into living on-campus as well.
"We're out here every year … just reminding people that it's still an option to live on campus," said Aaron Lucier, director of operations of Campus Living. "Campus Dining now offers healthy meal plans for commuter students [as well]."
Many students passing through the Brickyard said that the housing fair was a chance to learn about off-campus housing without driving all over the city.
"I think it's helpful that we don't have to go out and find apartments; they come to us," said junior Tejekia Harris.
Freshman Chris Speed agrees. "A lot of students don't know about apartments [in Greenville]," he said. "They can see all the options by just coming out here."
A list of available off-campus housing options can be accessed by logging onto the Off-Campus Student Services' Web site at ecu.edu/offcampushousing. For more information about on-campus housing, visit ecu.edu/studentlife/campusliving.
This writer can be contacted at editor@theeastcarolinian.com.
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