By Mark S. Kenna
August 14, 2013. Boone is going to see its usual influx in traffic and population Aug. 16 when move-in for the ASU fall semester begins.
From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, around 2,925 freshman will move into their respective dorms. All other on-campus students can begin moving in between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17.
This year the total undergraduate population is approximately 15,850, according to an ASU release. This includes 1,150 new transfer students and around 4,000 new undergraduate students.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2012 an estimated 17,774 people lived in the town of Boone, a figure that will almost double by Saturday.
Classes for the ASU fall semester are scheduled to start Aug. 20.
Downtown Boone is ready for the students to return, as they add both vitality and economic stimulation to area.
“Downtown Boone enjoys and welcomes all demographics to Boone – visitors, locals and students,” Virginia Flack, coordinator for Downtown Boone Development Association, said. “So we will be glad to have the students back.”
Last year, Boone Area Chamber of Commerce President Dan Meyer told High Country Press that each student “brings in roughly $20,000” in economic stimulus to the area.
“Businesses are always glad to have students here. The university is our number one economic driver and that has to do with everything from housing, retail, services. It really impacts every facet of our community,” Meyer said. “Students are vitally important and businesses are glad to have them back.”