Commuter Connection provides off-campus students with opportunities to meet new friends and gain new perspectives

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Commuter Connection meeting taking place at Campbell Library - Staff Writer / Khansa Samreen

On Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 3:30 p.m., Off-Campus Services & Resources hosted their second meeting of the semester of their new program, Commuter Connections. This program allows commuter students to connect with each other, to learn about the resources and the events that are happening on campus.

Julianna Paolini, a graduate student who is studying higher education is an intern for Off-Campus Services & Resources. Paolini said commuter connection is an opportunity for commuter students to engage and do fun activities together.

“I just create like an hour-long or sometimes 45-minute programs just to give commuter students the opportunity to talk to each other, meet each other in a space. We do some fun activities like icebreakers. Just a pretty chill program for them to get together,” said Paolini.

Paolini and her supervisor came up with the idea of Commuter Connection, it was a collaborative effort between the two of them.

“So my supervisor and I came together to talk about commuter focus programming,” said Paolini. “And we discuss like simple programming for commuter students that fits in their schedules during the day.”

This is the first semester since the Commuter Connection started and they had their first meeting on Sept. 27. Approximately sixteen students attended their last meeting. 

Cadence Muller, a freshman majoring in English and writing arts, enjoyed attending this event and meeting new people.

“I enjoy coming to this event because you learn a couple of cute little things even if you’ve already known them,” said Muller. “It’s a good review and we usually do something fun at the end. You get to see new faces and get to meet people. And I really like meeting new people and getting to know like where you’re from and all your different experiences so far, especially since I’m new here.”

Devin Maloney, a freshman majoring in radio, television, and film (RTF) said this event leads to opening up with new experiences.

“I really like Commuter Connections, I went to the first meeting and thought it was really interesting because you can meet a whole group of people that you probably could have never met if it wasn’t for this event,” said Maloney. “It helps me kind of expand more to go try to put myself out there, to go to new events. People sharing their events like they go to and I’m like ‘Oh, maybe I should go to that, maybe I should go to this.’ So it just opens us to new experiences.”

Paolini said commuters should attend this event because it’s a community of commuter students and a way to learn about other student’s experiences as a commuter.

“If they’re a commuter student looking to just meet other commuter students and learn a little bit more about life as a commuter here at Rowan. And just meet other people in a chill space.”

Commuter Connection’s next meeting will be on Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 3:30 p.m., in Campbell Library Room 126. RSVP on Proflink to attend.

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