The Boro and Bulloch County have begun to welcome back college students to Statesboro. If you have made a trip to the grocery store, you know they are coming back.
Now is the time to roll out the welcome mat and help give them and their families a great first impression.
We at Grice Connect in downtown Statesboro are doing everything we can to welcome them to our community. We have our GS flags flying and welcome back students signs in place.
The Grice Connect team invites you all to join us in welcoming our students back home.
Use your marquee or put out signs and flags.
Random Acts of Kindness Needed
If you can't volunteer to help in some way, everyone can perform a small random act of kindness this week and weekend.
If you have ever sent a child away to college, you completely understand how emotional this weekend will be for parents and students.
Many of them are leaving home for the first time. Choosing Statesboro was a big decision for them. A simple act of generosity, may be just the sign they need to reassure them that they have chosen wisely.
Traffic Increased, Restaurants and Grocery stores busy
Expect traffic to continue to pick up over the weekend, grocery stores will be stressed to keep up inventory, and restaurants will be packed. Locals need to plan accordingly.
When classes start Monday, August 14, Georgia Southern will be welcoming another very strong freshman class. They are expecting around 27,000 total students.
From the number of U-haul trucks and increased traffic, we see many of them have returned already.
On Friday, August 11th, GS will welcome a large freshman class to the dorms with Operation Move-In. For many of the students and their parents, this will be their first opportunity to experience Statesboro.
Volunteer for Operation Move-In
Operation Move-In is a great opportunity for the community to help GS welcome the students and parents create a great first impression of our community.
Click here to learn more about volunteering for Operation Move-In.
Community volunteers, Georgia DOT, City of Statesboro, Bulloch County, civic groups, and local businesses have been working the last few weeks to get grass cut, pick up trash, and clean up Statesboro as we put out the welcome mat.
GS Over $1 Billion Economic impact
With all the challenges and inconveniences locals will experience this week, we must remember the huge economic impact all students bring to Statesboro and Bulloch County.
According to the latest economic impact study released by the University System of Georgia, Georgia Southern's economic impact for Statesboro, Savannah, and our region exceeded $1 Billion for the 2022 fiscal year. They employ more than 3,000 on their three campuses and impact another 6,363 off-campus jobs and serve over 27,000 students.
We have much to be grateful for in the Boro. University students definitely TOP that list.