FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2009
Contact: Dave Wellman, Director of Communications, 304-696-7153
 

New program designed to promote involvement
and success of Marshall University commuter students

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – In a cooperative effort between Student Affairs and Residence Services, Marshall University has created a program that is designed to promote the involvement and success of its commuter students.

The goal is to get commuter students – those students who travel to campus each day for classes – involved in activities that will connect them more with campus life. About 76 percent of the students who attend Marshall University commute to classes.

“Too often commuter students maintain the same friendships, the same habits, the same social contacts, and the same daily schedule they maintained in high school,” said Steve Hensley, Marshall’s Dean of Student Affairs. “The risk in this lifestyle is that students may miss some of the most important parts of college – expanded social contacts, including making new friends from all over the state and country, and even other countries.  Student organizations enrich the lives and careers of students, but students have to be on campus to be a part of this.”

As part of Welcome Weekend, which takes place Friday, Aug. 21 through Sunday, Aug. 23 and precedes the start of fall classes on Aug. 24, a Commuter Student Reception will take place at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21 in the lobby of the Memorial Student Center on the Huntington campus. A Commuter Ice Cream Social is planned from 8 to 9 p.m. that same day in the Twin Towers East Dining Hall.

Commuter Welcome Weekend is the following weekend, Friday and Saturday, Aug. 28-29.

John Yaun, Director of Residence Services, said Marshall plans to offer commuter students a myriad of enjoyable and engaging experiences that will fulfill their college experience and get them more connected to activities and events on the Marshall campus.

“Commuter students are diverse in many ways, in age, ethnic identity, family status, working status, how they get to campus, the distance they commute, living arrangements and so forth,” Yaun said. “In spite of all the differences, commuter students do have some common concerns: time management, balancing multiple roles, getting to campus, family obligations, and getting connected to campus life are all issues commuter students face. While many commuters face different challenges daily, they are an important part of the overall Marshall community and there are numerous opportunities to get involved and make the best of their college experience.”

All commuters are invited to attend the Welcome Weekend reception and Ice Cream Social.

For more information, go to www.marshall.edu/welcomeweekend.

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