The partying, Greek life, football and “American Pie” side of student life is usually the first idea that pops into your mind when you think of the U.S. college experience. (“Pitch Perfect” is a close second.) 

Sorry to disappoint, but college life is nothing like the movies, at least not at UCCS. Our student population has an array of students from various backgrounds, which makes student life on campus challenging to approach.  

The fact and feeling that UCCS is a commuter campus can’t be denied any longer. Coursework is draining, and dragging a burnt-out commuter student back to campus for a student activity geared toward an 18-year-old on-campus freshman doesn’t sound appealing. 

According to 2024 campus data, 88% of the student population are commuter students and 20% are military affiliated. The variety of student backgrounds makes for an interesting crowd of people who can all bond over the fact that adulthood is complicated, and school is expensive, but it’s not easy to get us all in one room to talk about it. 

I’ve taken classes with kids fresh out of high school, 20-somethings like me who took a gap year or so because of COVID-19, 30-year-olds who took time off to travel, moms with young kiddos at home, veterans and active-duty service members coming straight from Fort Carson for class. 

We have an unconventional crowd at UCCS and embracing the unique parts of our community instead of following the typical college life mold would bring different elements of campus into cohesive opportunities for engagement. 

I know a lot of commuter students feel out of place at student life and club events or were completely unaware of them all together. I always appreciate a good poster, but commuter students might miss them. Marketing to students who aren’t on campus takes a little extra outreach. 

I’m sure many teachers would be more than happy to announce events and encourage their students to go. Creating a competition or something adjacent for event attendance with prizes could bring in more students, since everyone loves prizes and seeing familiar faces could motivate other students to join in on the festivities. 

Also, providing more unstructured social gatherings would personally pique my interest as a commuter student. It would give us the chance to mingle with less pressure to find a designated table for a specific activity. 

The free concert at Clyde’s Gastropub on Jan. 25 had a great turnout. People love live music, especially college students. There are plenty of local artists who would love the chance to perform live. It’s not quite Pitch Perfect, but it’s comfortingly close. 

I know hosting more events off-campus would appeal to commuter students — I love the idea of doing trivia with my peers at a bar or restaurant while supporting a local business.   

The homecoming events got a little bit of a better turnout than other events, but the glaring thing missing from the homecoming tailgate is a football team. Our buffalo counterparts in Boulder rally support and celebrations from students across the CU system. 

Though we may not have a football team, we have plenty of other killer athletics that could draw in a variety of students. Halftime shows are excellent, and they’re more often than not the highlight of the event for a lot of people. 

Our basketball, soccer, volleyball, lacrosse, baseball and softball teams always put up a good fight for the win, and our dance team adds an extra boost to the school spirit. Going to a game is a win-win for sports fans and athletes alike. 

Games are family-friendly while also having plenty of entertainment for adults 18-25 and beyond, and they’re worth the commute back to campus. Giving students more incentive to support our sports through halftime engagement would be a major investment. 

For the non-sporty types, the Ent Center is also a great way to engage lovers of the arts, and there’s no age limit on enjoying the theater. Holding more events at the Ent Center is a great way to engage a less frequented part of campus and bring in outside community members. 

Please, UCCS, don’t forget about us commuters! You definitely can’t reach everyone (especially over email), but don’t count us out. Communication is key to building community, and trying different ideas for events and marketing could make that sense of community even stronger on a campus that needs something a little different.  

Photo via The Scribe archives.