New this year, the Student Activities office is actively trying to enhance the commuter experience by forming a committee made up of commuter students.

According to Kimberly Coleman,the new assistant director of SAC, the goals of the committee are to make the commuters’ college experience on par with that of the resident students.

“In the past, it seems that there hasn’t been a lot of specific commuter initiatives. Even though we have a ton of events that are open to all commuters, we know that 51 percent of the Marywood population is commuters, and we want to focus our energy on providing services and things for them,” said Coleman.

Student Activities is looking to hire two chairpersons for the committee. The first, a Social Chairperson, will be in charge of planning the events that take place on and off campus. The second position is reserved for a Commuter Resource Chair, who will be in charge of helping students who have moved off campus. Their responsibilities would be making a landlord rating system, apartment listings, lease inspections, good neighbor program and more.

One of the first initiatives of the Commuter Committee is to move social events currently scheduled at night to an earlier time so that commuters can be present.  These social events include:  a monthly commuter breakfast, a parking lot “good morning”, where the committee would stand in the parking lot and greet commuters while they are parking and much more.

Arianne Kasheta, a freshman medical laboratory science major, said she felt the Commuter Committee was a great idea, and she plans to take part in it.

“Marywood created the Commuter Committee, and it’s [the commuters’] responsibility to become active and take part. Marywood has a lot for commuters to do; we just have to go and do it,” said Kasheta.

The first Huddle was held  on Thursday, September 11 from 3-5 p.m. in the Upper Dining Hall in Nazareth, the turn out was great and there were a lot of commuters coming together!

To become a member students can attend the Commuter Huddle. The Huddle is a two-part meeting that will take place on the first Thursday of each month. The first portion will be a meeting from 3-4 p.m. and the second half will be a social that is open to all commuters, that will be taking place from 4-5 p.m.

To join or ask questions, contact Kimberly Coleman at [email protected].