To help students find their new home, Iowa State University’s Student Engagement will be hosting the Housing Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday in Durham Great Hall at the Memorial Union.
There will be 29 vendors with booths explaining their housing options to students or helping students understand financials, city codes, legal services and more.
“The Housing Fair is designed to help students find that new home away from home,” Megan Moore, a Memorial Union marketing specialist, said.
Furthermore, Moore said they offer a variety of housing options in Ames and they have well-known leading agencies to make sure students are comparing their options.
“We know that housing is a big decision, and it has several impacts, from your well being to location, financial impacts, and so that’s a big decision that can rest on a lot of our students’ shoulders,” Moore said.
Moore expressed the importance of signing leases ahead of time so that students get the place they are looking for.
“All of the agencies who are going to be at the event on Thursday are not there to sell you anything,” Moore said. “They’re there to really just say, ‘Hey, here’s what we have available.”
Additionally, she mentioned that the vendors will have information on the floor plans, amenities and the cost of rent.
“And the biggest thing too, at least [in] the past couple of years, we’ve had the Office of Student Financial Success,” Moore said. “We know that once students come to college, there may be a big shift there in learning more about money management, essentially, and how to be successful in budgeting.”
According to Moore, the Office of Student Financial Success offers in-person counseling that acts as an one-on-one consultation to help students figure out their expenses.
“They do a really great job of offering that resource to students as well because we know that’s a really big shift, especially [because] a lot of these leases are year long leases, and like I said, that can be a big financial obligation,” Moore said.
Moore also said that the city of Ames will also be at the Housing Fair to address questions including city codes.
“They have lots of guidelines around party sizes and noise and all that stuff,” Moore said.
Another big vendor that will be attending, according to Moore, is Student Legal Services.
“They’re a great resource if you need to know your rights as a tenant, they are a free resource to students who need legal advice,” Moore said.
She also said the Student Wellness Office will be attending the Housing Fair.
“They’re a big one, all encompassing, Cyclone Support, from nutrition to violence prevention and basic needs support,” Moore said.
Moore said students should bring their student IDs and come with some questions prepared.
For more information on the event visit the Student Engagement website or email [email protected].
“We want our students to be successful in and off campus, and the housing situation has a lot to do with that,” Moore said.
