Hofstra commuter students stay connected through virtual programs

Many events that the Commuter Students Association host, like Siblings day, are being modified to adjust to social distancing guidelines. // Photo courtesy of Shania Figueroa.

Despite the changes made to Hofstra’s campus due to COVID-19, the Commuter Student Association (CSA) and the Office of Commuting Student Services and Community Outreach have remained committed to helping off-campus students feel connected to campus life. This semester, CSA is holding their meetings and a variety of virtual game nights via Zoom.

Before going virtual, CSA held meetings in the Office of Commuting Student Services and Community Outreach, located on the second floor of the Sondra and David S. Mack Student Center. Commuting students were encouraged to visit the lounge, where they could ask any questions they might have, grab a quick bite or just hang out.

Now, all meetings occur over Zoom. “Any student who wishes to meet with me can call or email and we can set up a Zoom appointment,” said Anita Ellis, director of the Office of Commuting Student Services and Community Outreach.

Ellis assists both off-campus students and traditional commuting students with any questions they may have about off-campus housing and campus life. This semester, Ellis has collaborated with the Center for Academic Excellence and the Center for Career Design and Development in order to host events for commuters so they can better understand the resources available to them.

“Outreach is more important than ever now because there are constantly changing expectations and students have fewer outlets of information than before, so an active campaign of public information is important not only for our community to be informed, but also for public health,” said Max Kutsch, a graduate assistant at the Office of Commuting Student Services and Community Outreach.

One of Kutsch’s responsibilities is to keep commuters informed by sending out a monthly Commuter Newsletter. This newsletter includes events and resources and provides video interviews with Hofstra staff or student leaders.

“We are a very tight-knit group, so when first-years come to our meetings, they want to be a part of that,” said Shania Figueroa, a senior health science major and president of CSA. “When you’re a resident, you have an automatic friend if you have a roommate, but, unfortunately, as a commuter, you have to make more of an effort to reach out.”

CSA participates in the annual Shake-A-Rake community service event which each volunteer cleans up the yards of local disabled and senior residents. // Photo courtesy of Shania Figueroa.

Freshmen commuters are especially encouraged to attend CSA meetings and share their ideas and input. Freshmen can also host their own theme nights which allows for other members to get to know them better, an opportunity that has helped Ryan Conway, a freshman television production major, make friends.

“I’ve seen these people in the same meetings and I’m getting to know who they are and their names and their faces,” Conway said.

According to Figueroa, the CSA is always open to new members and is always looking for people who have new ideas and talents to share. Students interested in joining CSA are welcome to attend their Zoom meetings every Monday and Thursday from 8:30 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. These meetings often include theme nights hosted by club members, board game nights and cooking workshops.