1. What is your club about?

Our club is for commuter students attending Moravian University. We attempt to provide events and activities that are specifically for commuter students to attend. We also want to provide a space where commuter students can air their concerns and complications with commuter life on the Moravian campus.

2. When was your club established?

Our club Constitution was drafted in 2016, which really created the basis for the Commuter Student Association as a club and solidifies the roles of the club and members of our executive board.

3. Who are your current leaders (advisors, president, vice president, etc.)?

Our club advisor is Alex Lauth. As for our executive board members – our president is Scott Kornfeind, our vice-president is Natalie Taclan, our programming event chair is Mahum Naveed, our secretary is Emma Ferraro, our social media chair is Zuri Foell, our graphic designer is Sara Turkdonmez, and our treasurer is Ayleen Mexquititla. We will be looking for new board members for the Fall 2023 semester, so we would appreciate any applications!

4. When does your club meet?

Our executive board meets weekly Monday at 8 pm on Zoom for the Spring 2023 semester; however, any general members are able to join the meeting upon request. We generally hold events every 3 weeks, with the goal of providing at least 4-5 events per semester.

5. What is the most popular activity that the campus knows you for?

There is not one specific event that the Commuter Student Association is known for, but for the past two semesters, we have been committed to our Commuter Happy Hour events. These events have helped boost attendance and allow commuters to spend time together during the day with food and different activities.

6. What are the biggest challenges that your club faces?

The biggest challenge our club faces is attendance at events. Having events on campus, especially if they are later in the day, does not align with the schedules of commuter students. Commuter students are unlikely to come to campus when they don’t need to be there, so getting a good turnout is definitely one of our biggest challenges.

7. If you could pair up with another club for an event or project, who would it be?

If our club could pair up with another club for an event, it would most likely be the Moravian Activities Council. Since the events that MAC holds usually result in good turn-outs, it would be a good way to spread awareness and information about what the Commuter Student Association does. It would also provide a designated event for commuter students and could involve resident students to allow time to bond and create connections. It would be nice to have the reach and budget to provide a big event for commuter students and to celebrate them as important members of the Moravian community.

8. What is the latest project that your club is excited about?

By the time this refresh is released, we will most likely be planning our Easter-themed Commuter Happy Hour! We want to try to do some egg-dying and provide some good food for our commuters. We have had various club members express interest in this activity and event, so we look forward to planning it more! We are open to other suggestions for Happy Hours, as well.

9. If you had an unlimited budget, what dream project would your club put it towards?

If we had an unlimited budget, we would work towards implementing better parking for commuter students. Currently, Lot X is a far walk from the main campus and is often subject to flooding. Additionally, spaces in Lot X can often be taken up by resident or non-commuter students, which we believe is unfair to commuter students. There are scary prospects for commuter students, so we would want to work to implement better parking that commuter students only could utilize. Another thing we would want to put the budget towards would be a designated lounge for commuter students. A specific room with chairs, tables, and couches for commuters to spend their downtime during the day. We would also want to include mini-fridges, microwaves, and storage spaces for commuters to store their belongings.

10. If there were one thing you could do or change on campus to benefit commuters, what would it be?

If we could change one thing on campus to benefit commuters, it would be to get rid of the stereotype that surrounds commuter students and commuting in general. For some students, it is physically, financially, or emotionally impossible for them to live on campus, but this does not mean that their college experience is less than that of resident students. It is possible for commuter students to get involved and have a meaningful experience on campus. Additionally, we believe that it is important for resident and non-commuter students to become more accepting and adaptable to the struggles of commuting, whether that be with the timing of events or providing an online option.