More than 250 students gave up their last day of summer to help new students get situated at St. Thomas for the first time.

The students were part of Sully’s Crew, a group made entirely of students who help haul dorm supplies, furniture and other college essentials into residence halls on move-in day.

“I feel it makes us very unique and makes move-in a lot more personal,” said sophomore Maddy Rudkin, who helped with Sully’s Crew. “Students are out there making an automatic connection and creating the atmosphere that St. Thomas wants to produce.”

Sully’s Crew was originally called Father Dease’s Move-In Crew in 2006 after former St. Thomas President Dennis Dease, said Erica Thompson, associate director of Residence Life.

“Sully’s Crew was started to make move-in day as smooth as possible, with new tweaks each year helping to make the process as easy as it can be while offering as much help as possible,” Thompson said. “We want to make that first encounter with St. Thomas as positive of an experience as possible.”

As the St. Thomas leadership changed, so did the name. The crew is now based on Julie Sullivan, St. Thomas’ current president. Sullivan even wears a Sully’s Crew shirt of her own and goes around to each of the first-year housing locations on move-in day to welcome both students and parents.

Giving back the kind of welcome she received was the reason Rudkin joined the Crew and lugged furniture and belongings between dorms and cars.

“I felt very welcomed being approached right away. Being from out of state, I had my whole semester’s worth of clothes, and I was very comforted knowing my parents and I wouldn’t be doing it all alone,” Rudkin said.

This year Rudkin was able to take a step back from the chaos of being a first-year moving in and watch how Sully’s Crew affected this year’s new batch of students.

Toward the end of Rudkin’s shift, it began to hit home for her.

“At the end of move-in, I talked to a girl who was very nervous about the whole transition. After I talked to her for a little bit, I realized what a big deal first-year move-in is and how successful St. Thomas is in putting up that immediate positive front that is very authentic and unique at universities today,” Rudkin said.

Lydia Lockwood can be reached at lock0052@stthomas.edu