Spelman College welcomes new freshman on Move-In Day

Move-In Day at Spelman College

Hundreds of students are making Spelman College their new home, and there are some big changes at the Atlanta HBCU this semester.

ATLANTA - More than 600 students are making Atlanta's Spelman College their new home this week.

With the help of the Move-In Day Mafia, some of these new students will receive a special surprise for the upcoming school year.

What we know:

Spirits are high as the Spelman College freshman prepare to move in to their new dorms.

This year, two residence halls of the HBCU have been renovated with a new layout, an elevator, a ground-floor entrance, and microfridges in each room.

Hundreds of students are making Atlanta's Spelman College their new home this week. (FOX 5) 

Each dorm also features added electronic security and access measures to enhance campus safety.

This week's new student orientation will introduce the freshmen to the academic, social, and cultural community of Spelman College.

What they're saying:

 Mom Joslyn Jackson was very happy that her daughter was heading to Spelman. 

"No words can describe what it’s like for a Spelman mom to have her daughter come to Spelman," she told FOX 5. "I'm really proud."

Her daughter, Morgan Jackson, felt the same happiness as she prepared for her college experience.

"When I walk through these halls, I truly feel like I’m walking in her footsteps," she said.

Dig deeper:

The Move-In Day Mafia and its mob of volunteers will descend on the campus and surprise three students with personalized dorm rooms to kick off their college journey.

The nonprofit is dedicated to helping teenagers who have aged out of the foster care system get settled into their dorm rooms.

The Move-In Day Mafia surprises a new student with a full personalized dorm room. (FOX 5) 

"They think we’re too good to be true, and they typically don’t believe us till they see us on move-in day," founder Teej Mercer told FOX 5 last year.

What's next:

Looking ahead, construction on a new 660-bed residence hall is set to begin in May 2026. The new hall will replace two older dorms on campus.