Commuters pass by EMU’s fountain while walking from one class to another, talk to others between their breaks, and sometimes go to enjoy a warm latte in Common Grounds, but they are hardly seen in events.“I have thought about it [participating in events] and wanted to get involved, I just never had the time so I never actually participated. Especially since club meetings tend to be in the late afternoon and I am not willing to stay that long,” said nursing senior Kristina Suslaev. EMU promotes students’ involvement in different activities outside of the academics side of college. Despite the University’s attempt to get commuters more involved, it is noticeable that commuters have a harder time committing to clubs or organizations than residents.
Just like Suslaev, many other commuters find it hard to stick around after they are done with classes. Seungmin Cha, a chemistry senior, said that he struggles to find time to go to the events on campus. “I am now involved in a soccer club, but from my first to third year I did not participate in any clubs,” he shared. “The main reason is the schedule, most of my time I study or do homework and can’t go if it is too late.” Clubs tend to schedule their events late in the evening, since that’s when most people are done with school and meetings; however, it can make participation harder for commuters.
What has EMU done to improve commuters’ experiences? EMU’s website offers commuters advice on how to connect with other students and adjust to their hectic schedules, but the information is not very clear to the new commuters prior to the beginning of classes. “I was not informed that we had lockers or a commuter lounge when I first got to the University. I found out through friends,” said Cha. EMU’s website has a commuters section where prospective students can find answers to recurrent commuter questions. EMU has a commuter lounge located in Campus Center, which includes a small living room area, a printer, and a kitchen with a fridge and microwaves for students to warm up their food and rest between classes; furthermore, there are lockers available in the first floor of the University Commons to put books and other personal items as needed. For access to the lockers it is possible to contact the Student Life office at 540-432-4135.
Attempts to make commuters feel more included in the dining hall have been subject to change the past couple of years. In 2022, it was possible to go to the cafeteria for lunch and get a $2 commuter lunch every Tuesday. In 2024, commuters were able to go to the Student Life suite and ask for a meal ticket once a week with no additional costs. This year, commuters received an email from student life saying that commuters can only get six meal tickets per semester (three before fall break, and three after), leaving some commuters disappointed by the abrupt change. Moreover, Lion’s Share is another option for students without a meal plan. Lion’s Share can be used in the Den or the cafeteria, and for every $100 added to the account, EMU gives an extra $20.
Further improvements to include more commuters have been done for the Fall 2025 semester. The Clubs and Orgs event, previously known as the Ice Cream Social, was moved to a Wednesday convocation time instead of the usual 7pm to be more inclusive of commuters and others who have their evenings full. Despite the University’s attempts, convincing commuters to get more involved on campus can be challenging, since many have communities outside of school. Marciella Shallomita, a biochemistry EMU graduate, stated that she believes that “sometimes commuters already don’t feel the need to be super involved in the campus community. Campus could organize the events earlier, but if the commuters themselves don’t feel like they want to go, then they still won’t be involved.”
