Commuter Involvement

Vanguard University of Southern California has established a team specifically to help commuters have an opportunity to connect to their university, which currently has over 800 commuter students enrolled this year. Interestingly the interaction from commuters to their university seems to fall short in comparison to students who live on campus. Nevertheless, efforts to get commuters involved with activities that are on and off campus continue to occur.

Jack Dageford, who is currently in his senior year with a major in Theology, is a commuter student at Vanguard University. He was willing to answer questions about commuter life and involvement. He also commented on how he views the universities efforts towards making its commuter students feel part on campus living.

Vanguard University has done its best to help commuters feel welcome and connected by creating easy access to information through the Vanguard University Website. Under the Student Life tab is information about Commuter life. One of the top information tabs that is in the Commuter life tab is another tab appropriately labeled ‘Get Connected.’

In this section of the website is a statement by Vanguard University that states, ‘We believe that community is important and for that reason we desire to see every commuter connected…”

Some of the ways that the university helps commuters to feel connected are by offering programming opportunities, via room or in person, sending out e-mails, to help the commuters. The university also has fire pits, a coffee shop, a weight room, basketball courts, and hammocks to help commuters feel welcome.

When asked about what it’s like to be a commuter, Dageford said, “there’s a lot more intentionality because you spend less time here because you don’t live here.”

Upon being asked why the involvement in campus events among commuters are not as high as resident students, Dageford mentioned the welcome party that occurred a week before the start of the 2021 fall semester. It was scheduled from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

He said that it, “can be a bit of an ask for a commuter, if the commuter lives further out.”

Dageford also mentioned another reason why commuter attendance at campus activities may be lacking is because of confusion. Saying that some commuters think that on-campus activities are only for resident students.

As a suggestion to help fix this issue, Dageford said, “I think making it clear that it’s an all-Vanguard student thing…, [and that] maybe just some of the timing-wise part of it probably could be,” shifted to help commuters have the opportunity to get to know other campus staff and students.

When asked what the university could do to improve their efforts of helping commuter students feel more welcomed and encouraged to participate, Dageford said, “I feel like Vanguard is already doing a good chunk.” He then went on to say, “there could be a little bit more intentional outreach to commuters.”

Being involved with the university may not be every commuter’s desire but for those like Dageford getting connected is something that he has been looking forward to this year.

He shared what makes him feel involved, “quality time… Or just building relationships. Sharing with people and just like, getting to know people better.” He then continued to say, “I feel like that’s a huge thing of how I feel more connected to Vanguard.”

Like many vanguard students last year, Covid-19 made it difficult for students to get to know their fellow students from home. But, despite this setback, Dageford positively said, “as I spend more time here, I am getting more involved which is good.”

At the end of the day involvement in commuters may not be because of the university or because one is a commuter, as Dageford stated, “the own is on us as commuters to really just pour into our school even though we don’t live there,” and that as a commuter, “we are still just as much Vanguard as much as someone who’s lived here for a couple of years.”