The AMS wants to get commuter students involved in Firstweek this year by trading in that all-important university currency: free coffee.
From September 8-11, Coffee for Commuters representatives will greet students as they arrive on campus with free coffee, snacks and a pick-me-up playlist.
“[Commuter students] may not have time to pick up a coffee on their way into school, and they just really appreciate the extra thought being given to them,” said AMS Events Coordinator Jenna Earnshaw.
On Imagine Day (September 8), Coffee for Commuters will be found at the Wesbrook bus loop, joined by members of UBC Athletics in promoting the Thunderbirds’ homecoming football game; students can have their coffee served to them by a UBC athlete and hear about the Thunderbirds events coming up in the fall semester.
The rest of the week, coffee will be distributed at the main UBC bus loop.
Students may remember similar events held by the AMS last year during Firstweek as well as the final exam period. If all goes well, the free coffee motif will continue during final exams again this winter.
“That [event] was responded to really, really well by the students, so we’ll definitely look towards doing that in December as well,” said Earnshaw.
Earnshaw hopes that the Coffee for Commuters event will encourage students living off-campus to become more engaged with the AMS, given that they may not be around to attend the Firstweek events that happen during the evening.
According to the UBC Vancouver Campus Fact Sheet, more than three times as many undergraduate students commute to campus.
“It’s just generally reaching out to as many different student groups as we can, and recognizing that there are groups that aren’t always able to come to the events we have, and providing alternatives,” said Earnshaw.