Karri Smith, mother to University of Montana incoming freshman Elizabeth Smith, wiped away tears Monday morning in a campus parking lot as she and her husband unloaded picture frames and other dorm items from their car.

Karri said she was feeling “happy and excited and proud” of her daughter, who plans to study biology.

The Smith family was one of hundreds across UM’s campus Monday morning helping their freshman children move into their dorms and start their journey as Grizzlies and part of the Class of 2029.

Move-in day is part of the Big Sky Experience, an orientation initiative which started five years ago to help increase student retention. This week traditional first-year students will be divided into small groups for “site events,” which include presentations on everything from

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