Making Campus Feel Like Home for Commuters
Duration: 1 hour
Facilitator: Caitlin Herby
Price: $50.00
Overview:
While commuter students make up the majority of the undergraduate college student population, their needs are often overlooked when it comes to being involved and engaged on campus. Despite being an extraordinarily diverse population, it is possible to identify some set of common barriers commuter students face when trying to engage on-campus. This webinar highlights the differing needs of commuter students, common barriers of engagement, and practical tools participants could use to better support this population on their campus. The presenter will outline innovative programming and resources that better support the needs of commuter students, leading to an increase in student satisfaction and sense of belonging on campus.
Brief outline:
With over 82% of college students being off-campus students (Hatch & Skipper, 2004), the lack of research and even discussion of this population is astounding. The commuter student population is easily over-shadowed by the residential student experience. This is apparent not only in literature but also in the disproportionate allocation of resources at many colleges and universities. Instead of trying to make the needs of this population “fit-in” to what services are already provide, Universities should focus efforts on making adjustments to programs and resources to intentionally meet the needs of commuters. By educating campus partners on commuter students’ needs, student affairs professionals can being to make shifts in the culture of support for these students. Making these culture shifts is very important to the sustainability of supporting students as Student Affairs Professionals. This webinar will provide specific examples as well as tools for how other Student Affairs Professionals can begin to make these same shifts on their campuses.
Learning outcomes:
- Understanding the needs of undergraduate commuter students
- Awareness on how to involve campus partners in supporting commuter students’ needs
- Understanding of how to intentionally support commuter students
- Learn innovative programming and resource options to better support commuter students
- Be informed about additional resources with information on supporting commuter students
Who should attend:
This webinar will be ideal for all student affairs staff involved with engaging undergraduate students on campus.
Presenter biography:
Caitlin Herby is the Commuter Student Engagement Advisor for Off-Campus Living at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is responsible for developing programs and services that enhance the commuter student experience. She also serves as an instructor for a Personal Leadership course within the Leadership Minor at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Caitlin received the Minnesota College Professionals Association Lee Knefelkamp Research Award (2016) for her research on how to best meet the needs of off-campus students. She serves on the directorate the Commission for Commuter Student and Adult Learners (ACPA). Caitlin received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota-Duluth in Duluth, Minnesota, and her M.A. from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.