Walking around Cruz Plaza with friends after class, knocking on dorm doors, meeting new people from the hall in the bathroom and going to random campus events are all part of the college experience. For many, these interactions lead to lasting friendships and a solid social foundation in college.
For commuter students, however, creating these connections can be more difficult.
To help alleviate unique issues that commuters face, a group of five friends, all commuters, created the Commuter Mentorship Organization last year with hopes of creating a space for commuter students to get more involved on campus and to form more relationships around Mercer.
“We never really had that experience of making connections through the dorms or stuff like that,” Shahi Patel '28, president of the organization, said. So, the organization set to work on a plan for making commuter resources more friendly and available.
Patel said the organization applied for a Visionary Student Panel Grant last year after agreeing as freshmen that commuters needed help on Mercer's campus. The grant, hosted by Mercer's Center for Engaged Learning, rewards succesful applicants with seed money as well as mentorship for turning ideas into tangible projects across the university.
After succesfully applying, the organization used the $1,000 grant to renovate the previously existing commuter lounge over the summer.
The lounge, located on the second floor of Tarver Library, was originally furnished with just regular office chairs. Now, it sports couches, beanbags, games, cleaning supplies and feminine hygiene products. Due to the renovations, Patel said, the space has become more of a comfortable place for commuters to relax, do work and spend time with others.
Before the renovations, few students went to the lounge, but secretary Leanna Fdoul '28 said that it is now frequently filled with students.
“It’s supposed to be a peaceful place,” she said.
When Fdoul originally came to Mercer, she only knew two people from her high school and did not expect many commuters to attend the school. But after attending Mercer, she realizes commuters are much more widespread.
“I think it's really interesting how many commuter students there actually are,” she said. “I started meeting more people and realizing, oh, they lived 20 minutes away from me.”
Fdoul says that the pressure of not having dedicated spaces like dorms for these commuters can cause unique difficulties.
“Not only just being friends with commuter students, but being friends with people at Mercer in general is really hard to do, unless you have one space where you can all meet up and clubs you guys all join,” Fdoul said.
Event coordinator Naila Hernandez ‘28 said the transition from high school to being a freshman in college is hard for everyone, but especially commuters. One of the goals of the organization is to reach out to freshmen and help them get involved around campus.
Other goals include building a welcoming community for commuters and fostering new friendships, Patel said.
After winning the grant, the group decided to create the Commuter Mentorship Organization to go along with the renovation of the lounge. The organization’s mentorship program is designed to help new students get comfortable and adapt to the commuter lifestyle. Hernandez said they are a resource to help commuters with anything they could need as they acclimate to campus.
“It can be about where to find a building, if this professor is good or not, anything that they really need help for” Hernandez said.
The organization plans to host more events throughout the semester as it works to grow its membership and build relationships among commuter students, Patel said.
“It doesn't even just have to be computer students,” Fdoul said. “Commuter students can bring their friends that live on campus to the lounge, and they can all hang out.”
