LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky is asking students heading to their campus this fall to “Tri-It.” That is the clever name of the school’s new housing add-on program.
Freshman Brooklynn Moss is pursuing a degree in special education.
Like many recent high school graduates, she wasn’t only looking for the school of her dreams, but also the campus and residence hall as well.
“I was just looking for a place where I felt that I was welcomed and one place that I fit into,” Moss said.
According to UK, their 2022 freshman class had over 6,000 students. Moss, along with other first-year students, can take part in the “Tri-It” program. The pilot program will allow more students to live comfortably in existing rooms on campus.
UK reconfigured its current two-bedroom suites and turned it into a three-person suite by adding bunk beds in one of the rooms.
Students using this new option save money. It reduces the original price of the two-bedroom suite by $2,000 for the two bunkmates and a $500 discount for the single-person bedroom in the dorm space. Moss says it’s something families like hers already have experience with.
“I think that I could be very adjustable because I did have a bunk bed the majority of my life with my little sister, so it’s not anything new that would be to me, so it would be very adjustable,” Moss said.
At UK dorms are spread out from the north to the central campus and are surrounded by dining halls, the William T. Young Library and media centers. It is designed to give students everything they need close to where they live.
“They tend to have higher GPAs, which means they ultimately tend to come back and graduate on time, and hopefully without that they get more involved with student organizations more quickly and just because they’re closer to things and they are around all that support.” Jay Blanton, University of Kentucky spokesman explained.
Moss says it’s exactly what can help her.
“Like staying in the area where I’m gonna be graduating, like how I was at home in high school,” she said. “I was in the area where I would be graduating from and was able to get my work done and if I needed help, there are people nearby that could help.”
Moss is more than excited to get the ball rolling on her first semester of college. She says she’s ready for campus life.