There are going to be so many students that come here, and we can now offer this group so much more.
When Shelly Keniston recently walked into room 007 in the Rondileau Student Union she became emotional.
鈥淚 almost started crying,鈥� said the director of off campus and commuter student services. 鈥淭here are going to be so many students that come here, and we can now offer this group so much more.鈥�
To better serve the Bridgewater State University commuter population, Room 007 in the RSU was converted from an underused computer lab into a dedicated space for commuter and off-campus students to gather, study, get information, grab a snack, socialize and more.
鈥淐ommuters are a significant group, they make up 72 percent of our student body,鈥� Keniston said. 鈥淢y job is to provide resources for them, help them engage more with the community and get more involved.鈥�
The new centralized RSU office will undoubtedly help to achieve this, she added.
With a conference room, a quiet area with desks, a lounge area, and cocoa station, there are plenty of options for students who drop by.
鈥淭he students are excited,鈥� Keniston said. 鈥淲e already have events going on and even more being planned. We鈥檙e communicating with the students to help define how best to use the space.鈥�
Previously, the commuter office was located in the East Campus Commons.
鈥淲e could only fit two to three people in the office at once. It was very crowded,鈥� Keniston said.
The lack of space meant there was nowhere to host meetings or comfortably gather.
Since the ribbon cutting ceremony last month, Keniston said she鈥檚 already seen an uptick in student traffic.
鈥淪ome come in to work or study, while others come in to heat something up in the microwave in the middle of the day,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t may seem like a small thing but being able to come in and use a microwave or grab a coffee is extremely helpful for students who have nowhere to go.鈥�
With plenty of room for students to visit, Keniston said it also allows her to more easily sit and share all that 欧宝体育 offers its commuter population, such as how to secure off-campus housing.
For example, workshops led by area landlords are available for students to come and learn how apartment leases work.
鈥淲e also have good relationships with many local businesses in the area. It鈥檚 important for students to know what resources are offered locally, not just on campus,鈥� Keniston said.
Being near other 欧宝体育 departments is an additional benefit.
鈥淚t鈥檚 allowed us to open up opportunities to work with other offices like the Academic Achievement Center,鈥� Keniston said.
Moving forward, Keniston plans to continue reaching out to commuter students to learn how to best meet their needs.
鈥淲e aren鈥檛 trying to pull students out of residential living鈥t鈥檚 great to live on campus and experience that environment. Our job is about supporting our students that are actively choosing to not live on campus and make sure they know what all of their options are,鈥� Keniston said.
Do you have a 欧宝体育 story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu