The University of Miami’s newly-formed Commuter Council’s first in-person event is sending students into Thanksgiving break with new friends and carnival prizes. The inaugural Commuter Carnival will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Lakeside Patio featuring carnival games, raffles and live music in collaboration with Patio Jams.
Attendees can expect games such as balloon darts and ring toss, a photo booth and mystery prizes. One notable game that Perez described is a contest in students build model cars out of candy.
“The more games you play, the better chance you have of winning a prize,” said Lynette Perez, a senior majoring in microbiology and immunology and Commuter Council member.
The carnival was planned to give commuter students a chance to have fun on campus and to establish UM’s Commuter Council as a resource for the student body.
The Commuter Council, an organization under the Department of Orientation and Commuter Student Involvement, is made up of UM students that commute to campus. The organization helps the department with tasks such as budgeting, event planning and public relations.
“For some of the council, it’s their first involvement on campus,” said Jessica Colon, a junior double majoring in elementary education and studio arts who works for the Department of Orientation and Commuter Student Involvement. “We wanted to let these members create an event to bring commuter students together, whether they’re first-year students or transfer students.”
The Commuter Council was created in order to establish a more integrated commuter community at the university.
“The Commuter Council is all about having more engagement with commuters on campus, especially if they aren’t able to participate in other events that might not be within their time frame,” Perez said.
Although the carnival was organized by and for commuter students, all UM students are invited to attend.
“It’s not exclusive to commuter students, but it is targeted towards commuter students,” Perez said. “But everyone obviously is able to join in on the fun. We definitely are looking to create more events, if not this semester then by next semester.”