From August 17–20, the University of Kentucky welcomed over 8,000 new and returning Wildcats to campus during Big Blue Move-In. Facilities Management played a crucial role with 215 staff members helping to ensure a smooth and welcoming experience for students and their families. With nearly 85% of the students living on campus being first-year students, the Facilities Management team helped create a memorable and stress-free start to their college journey.
Campus Maintenance & Operations led the charge, handling everything from unloading vehicles to setting up hundreds of tables and distributing move-in carts. They managed water distribution, logistics, and traffic control, directed families to the correct residence halls, and staffed information tables to assist students and parents. The Sign Shop partnered with UK Grounds to design and place move-in directional signage across campus.
The Custodial team helped unload vehicles, load carts, and served as cart runners to maintain the flow of pedestrian and vehicle traffic. The Grounds team ensured that trash bins were emptied regularly and recycling dumpsters compacted, while also assisting with unloading and removing waste from move-in carts. They placed hundreds of traffic cones and barricades around campus to safely guide incoming vehicles.
Utilities & Energy Management, Planning, Design, and Construction, and multiple of Facilities Management’s contract partners played key roles in unloading vehicles and helping manage traffic flow. Sustainability and Recycling provided hydration stations for students, families, and volunteers, while also monitoring recycling stations to prevent contamination in cardboard-only containers.
The Trucking team distributed more than 600 tables and over 700 blue and marina carts throughout campus. They also managed the cardboard and landfill open-top dumpsters during the evening shifts (4–9 p.m.) to minimize contamination and responded quickly to any emergency furniture replacements or repairs in UK-owned residence halls and Greek houses.
Thanks to the teamwork, planning, and commitment of every Facilities Management team involved, Big Blue Move-In was a success. From logistics to labor, signage to sustainability, and everything in between, the Facilities Management team made a lasting first impression for thousands of Wildcats and their families.
Bree Walton