The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

Commuter students feel isolated

“It’s not about adjusting to the college atmosphere that is so hard,” Osmen said. “It’s the loss of time and flexibility because I commute. It’s more than the average student has to deal with every day.”

Other commuters agree, including freshman pre-dentistry student Katrina Sanders.

“Commuting so far has been a hassle and an inconvenience.” Sanders said. “It takes a huge chunk out of every day, and adds an extra headache of traffic and parking.”

Parking and unruly traffic aren’t the only concerns.

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“I feel really disconnected from Marquette,” Sanders said.

Sanders thinks that commuters are uninformed of events beyond those that are exclusively for them and miss campus-wide events and activities.

Currently, there are a number of programs formed by the Office of Student Development that are available to commuter students to encourage interaction. The Good Morning Commuters program gives students an opportunity to relax and eat breakfast with other commuters in the morning before going to class. The event takes place on the first Wednesday of every month, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a. m., in the Commuter Lounge on the first floor of the Alumni Memorial Union.

Another event is the first-year commuter lunch held each semester, which will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 22. Exclusively for freshmen, the lunch provides students a chance to reflect on their college experience with other commuters, and to offer feedback to program coordinators.

Some commuters have taken an active role in the process. Sophomore Travis Rush revived the Commuter Student Association last spring after 10 years of inactivity. The association works closely with Student Development to encourage student involvement.

“The biggest challenge thus far has been sparking interest in commuters,” Rush said. “There are a lot of students who simply go to class and then head home for the day. Hopefully we can change that.”

The association is looking to create a stronger base of commuter students who are actively involved on campus, Rush said.

According to Karen Desotelle, director of Student Educational Services, students that commute are more likely to transfer than those who live on campus when their expectations are not met.

“There is a brief window of opportunity for us to make a positive impression on a commuting student,” Desotelle said. “Often after the first semester, the student’s decision is made.”

Desotelle heads a small committee that was formed to address these concerns.

“We tried to be more personable in our approach,” Desotelle said of the committee’s commuter first-year orientation. “Orientation was on target for the next step, which is to focus energy and efforts on assuring that students enjoy their time at Marquette.”

Rush sees the Commuter Student Association as a step in the right direction.

“The next step is going to be motivating commuters to provide feedback and get involved as a group,” he said.