Families bid farewell, students embrace a new chapter during Move-in-Weekend at Binghamton University

Standing outside his residence hall at College-in-the-Woods, surrounded by groups of families and piles of suitcases, and his older brother helping carry a box featuring Spider-Man chock full of his favorite comic books into his room, John Signorile knew he could find his place at Binghamton University.

“I'm looking forward to making new friends and discovering new experiences that can help me become an even better and more well-rounded person,” said Signorile, a first-year history major from Carmel, New York. His father had introduced him to comic books at a young age, so bringing them to college was his way of bringing his favorite piece of home to Binghamton. 

Once he gets settled on campus, Signorile is eager to continue studying his favorite historical period, the Victorian era. That time, he said, “really helped bring us to the age we’re at now, especially with the growth of technology. There’s so much more to history that I can’t wait to explore while I’m here.”

Move-in Weekend at Binghamton University brings packed cars with anxious students and parents to meet new roommates and take their first steps in discovering what the campus culture has to offer. The weekend also features campus traditions, such as the “Class of B” photo and a New Student Kickoff event. This year, approximately 18,600 new and continuing students will arrive at Binghamton for the fall 2026 semester. 

A home away from home

Jocelyn Bacall’s journey has taken her from her home in Los Angeles to Binghamton, where she is studying business administration at the School of Management. The distance didn’t matter, she said, because Binghamton provides everything she is looking for socially and academically — the School of Management has been consistently ranked among the nation’s top public business schools — and the chance to see snowfall while at college is an added bonus.

“I chose Binghamton because I enjoyed how the campus felt like a community when I visited, and the School of Management seemed like an amazing opportunity for me as a business major,” said Bacall, who is interested in marketing and discovering how a large company operates best. She’s living at Mountainview College and, as a food enthusiast, has brought a variety of seasonings she enjoys using in cooking. “I hope to be able to share some of my favorite foods and recipes from home with new people here at Bing, make new friends, and find my pathway into the career I want!”

For Bennett Leselrod, a first-year math major from Long Island, coming to Binghamton is carrying on a family tradition. His mother, Lorna Leselrod '99, earned her degree in biological sciences from the University.

“Not only was Binghamton not too far for me, but I’m here on a STEM scholarship through New York state, making it a great value of a school that will also allow me to study something that really fascinates me,” Leselrod said. “I'm excited to see what's going on music-related here, because I love music. I brought my guitar and a little keyboard to play on, so I can’t wait to make some music friends here on campus. I’m gonna have so much fun!”

Saisha Pai, an integrative neuroscience major from South Brunswick, New Jersey, chose Binghamton because of the strong connections between students and faculty, as well as the wealth of extracurricular activities the University offers — the Neuroscience Club, She's the First, and events hosted by the Hindu Student Council especially caught her eye. 

“I am most excited to build meaningful relationships within a new community, and I hope to make a positive impact on the Binghamton community through research, volunteering, and club involvement," said Pai, who lives in the Hinman College residential community. “I’ve brought a bunch of photos of my family and friends to make my new room feel more like home. I'm also an avid reader, so I have all my favorite books to read in my free time!”

The campus surroundings, with wooded areas like the University’s Nature Preserve, helped make Gabrielle Trout recognize that Binghamton “was the place for me.”

“Whenever I visited or called, everyone at Binghamton just felt really welcoming,” said Trout, a geology major from Maryland. “Now that I’m here, I really like expressing myself through my clothes, my accessories, especially my cardigans. I can’t wait to meet new people in my first year!”

Helping students find their way 

Pulling off a successful move-in weekend involves a complex mobilization effort across university departments. Logistical planning begins as early as March, including determining how to handle increased traffic, ensuring students and their families know where to go, and identifying which volunteers are needed to handle various other tasks throughout the weekend. 

“It's an all-hands-on-deck operation. From a student and family experience, we believe a successful move-in weekend is one in which we're able to create an exciting time for them, where there's music and other fun things happening around campus,” said Casey Wall, director of Residential Life. “The students are going to be nervous, the parents are going to be nervous, but our goal is to create an atmosphere that alleviates any anxiety about starting their college journey, ensuring they all feel welcome.”   

International students arrived Aug. 10. Among them was Henri Jiang, a first-year student from China with interests in economics and management, who spent his first week exploring the Binghamton campus. He described moving to a new country to begin his college career as an exciting opportunity, one he knows will bring new challenges.

“New York and, specifically, Binghamton, is a very beautiful city and place,” he said. “I always knew I wanted to study in another country, and the accessibility of a university like Binghamton made it the best place for me to try new things while getting the kind of education to help me succeed in the areas I’m interested in most.”

Wall encouraged all students, especially first-year students, to begin their Binghamton journey by exploring unique avenues for contributing to campus culture.

“We hope students will find that sense of belonging in their residential community, but they can also find it through joining a student organization, through a job or internship, or any number of other ways just by exploring what the campus has to offer,” Wall said. “Instead of approaching it as what you think college life should be, tell yourself, ‘I’m going to make my own path and find my own way.’”