By Arianna Campbell
When thinking of the “college experience,” commuter life is not what comes to mind.
“When I was a freshman, I just wanted to have the ‘college experience,’ and I feel like I was kind of in a way contributing to that saying, ‘Oh if I commute, I won’t have the college experience,’ which definitely is not true,” said Olivia Conner, Commuter Council President.
Conner, a former on campus resident who is now commuting has taken the mantle of Commuter Council President and hopes to make commuters feel just as part of the community as residents.
According to Assistant Student Engagement Director Christina Puccio, Stonehill’s commuter population is one quarter of the student body. Though there has been a steady increase of commuters, especially after COVID-19 and with many commuters choosing to commute due to finances, the smaller population have their struggles.
Bianka Cabrera, a junior who has commuted her entire time at Stonehill, spoke on some of her struggles.
“I think Stonehill is not as accessible to commuters because they have no programs to help with transportation or aid, etc. They have that whole Uber Lyft pass thing but realistically, only the on-campus students can use it because the pass doesn’t allow you to use it unless it’s in the places they choose to and from campus which is annoying,” said Cabrera.
For commuters like Cabrera, trouble with transportation is the main obstacle in their commuting experience. She refers to the Uber Rideshare program that Student Engagement implemented, which was done in recognition of the struggles of Stonehill not having a direct bus line.
The Uber Rideshare program covers the first $15 each way and can only be used at pre-determined sites on and off campus. This program is not a reliable everyday transportation, and for commuters who lack reliable transportation access like a car, it does not seem useful.
The Uber Rideshare is one of the efforts of Student Engagement, but they continue to make an active effort, Puccio said.
“It is something that we very much look into but it's also not something that has always been, I would say, at the forefront of making sure everybody has a ride back home and to campus. But we are always open to suggestions, and I think also it is something that is very big for us just to make sure that the commuters know they have that support,” said Puccio.
Conner said commuters need to speak up if they are having problems with transportation.
“If commuters are having a hard time getting to and from campus, they should be able to confide in the school that they are paying money for, to see if they can help them get to and from campus. I feel like if they can get people to the train station or to the mall then they can get people home,” said Conner.
Puccio said it is difficult to work out issues some commuters have with this program and transportation due to the critical and crucial consideration of how many will actually need to be accommodated for the college to find it worthwhile.
“This is why being on campus is also a plus because you can potentially make friends and then you are also getting to know other people who can help with transportation,” Puccio said.
Being an active student on campus helps in working around these issues, but Cabrera said that can be difficult for some commuters who try to be active but are struggling with transportation.
“I would be way more engaged if I had an easier way to get to those things in the first place. And I don’t feel like I am part of the Stonehill community probably because I can’t spend much time there and haven’t made many friends at Stonehill,” said Cabrera.
For Cabrera, who is a 20-minute drive from campus, there is little public transportation from Taunton to Easton compared to when she lived in Brockton. She wound up taking a gap semester to adjust and is now working on obtaining a license and car.
Overall, it adds to the difficulty of making connections and feeling a part of Stonehill, which many commuters struggle with.
Conner said there are also social issues on being a commuter.
“I feel like a lot of times residents seem like there is a kind of a higher up, a hierarchy that is residence and commuters at the bottom. But I feel like it should advertise the student here and it doesn’t matter whether you live on campus or not because at the end of the day we’re all the same and we all want to get the same college experience. And it doesn’t really matter where you are sleeping at night,” Conner said.
The struggle to build friendships and feeling a part of the Stonehill community is a part of the commuter experience that Conner and Puccio said they attempt to address.
As the Commuter Council President and the Assistant Student Director, they have made efforts in trying to get commuters more engaged, such as Commuter Breakfast, Trunk or Treat, and Halloween Craft and Pizza night. They are also trying to bring commuters to the Commuter Lounge in Roche Dining Commons, a place that remains mostly secluded and empty. Putting in a new TV and attempting to do some events are some of the ways they are trying to increase commuter engagement. As of now, it is more of a trial and error to see what works best for commuters.
Puccio oversees the Commuter Council and engagement as well as organizing campus traditions like Family Weekend and Christmas Tree Lighting. She said she makes an active effort to assist the Commuter Council which stands as representation for commuters, and she looks for suggestions on how to improve commuter experiences. One way they attempt to get suggestions and feedback is commuter questionnaires, which 27 to 28 students filled out last time.
This is due to their individualized approach when working with student engagement.
“The individualized approach that we do with students I think definitely works in their favor and sets them up for success then just making an overall decision that works for only a few people versus the entirety of the group,” said Puccio.
With an individualized approach, they work with what the student body speaks on.
“I think ideally, there is always room to grow. And there is always room where we can maneuver to make things better for everybody a part of the team or every student overall. But like I said, with the different students that come in every year we always have different things that we tend to focus on depending on what exactly students are looking for,” said Puccio.
As Conner and Cabrera are juniors, they have dealt with these struggles and have been learning to adjust. Merola Asaad, a first year, is in her adjusting period as well.
Though the impact is too soon to tell, Asaad does feel that the effort of Student Engagement and the Commuter Council benefits her college experience.
“They have aided by giving a sense of community,” she said.
Puccio said she has seen an increase in commuter engagement, and that many commuters have gotten involved on campus. While many commuters do come in with the fear of missing out on the college experience, many later view it as a positive when it comes to scheduling and determining what works best for them.
“I think the commuter experience as a whole is really all of what they want to make of it,” said Puccio.
As Student Engagement and the Commuter Council are working on commuter engagement, they strive to improve the experience of commuters.
With that, Asaad made a call to action for all commuters.
“Give life to the commuter lounge!”
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