Connecting Students, Supporting Blue Hens

For many students, move-in weekend is about much more than unpacking boxes. It is the start of a new chapter, often in a new place, with new people, new responsibilities, and plenty of questions. For the Ask IT team, that meant being there to help students get connected, find their way around campus, and feel a little more at home.

During Welcome Days, 17 UDIT staff, 16 student staff, and additional remote staff came together to support students throughout the weekend, helping with more than 826 support tickets. They helped students set up eduroam device certificates, reset MFA, install Microsoft Office, and troubleshoot a wide range of technology issues.

But some of the most meaningful conversations had nothing to do with technology.

Ask IT staff answered questions from incoming students about everything from finding their way around campus and preparing for their classes to recommending places to eat, shop, and spend time nearby. They helped students figure out where they needed to be, shared stories from their own college experiences, and offered a friendly face when needed. For those navigating the transition to college and independent life, sometimes what mattered most was simply having someone willing to listen, answer a question, or help them feel welcomed in a new place.

“We strive to be a source of calm for students as they begin this new experience and find their footing on campus,” said Salvatore Ciro, UDIT’s Manager of Client Support. “We offer both IT and non-IT support as needed. Often we’ll end up talking to students about their majors, how to find buildings on campus, and what our experience was like as a student. One of the most important things we can do is offer empathy and support as students navigate this major transition in their lives.”

That human connection is an important part of what Ask IT brings to Welcome Days. The team may be there to solve technology problems, but they are also there to help students feel supported as they begin their Blue Hen experience.

14,000+ New Connections and Counting

While Ask IT staff were helping students one-on-one, the campus network was supporting a tremendous amount of activity behind the scenes.

Since August 20th, more than 14,000 new eduroam security certificates have been issued to campus users. With thousands of users connecting their devices to Wi-Fi for classes, communication, entertainment, and everyday campus life, network demand quickly ramped up.

At peak usage, the network supported approximately 31,500 concurrent clients, while Wi-Fi traffic reached a peak of 10G.

These numbers highlight the scale of connectivity needed to support the campus community as the semester gets underway.