Commuting to Carthage

Commuter student permits allow parking in designated commuter lots. All commuting student vehicles must have a hangtag displayed on the rearview mirror facing frontwards. Commuter parking permits are not valid for overnight parking. (“Overnight parking” is defined as starting at the time when the residence halls close to visitors.)

All full-time commuter students (defined as enrolled for 12 credits or more in any given term) must purchase a permit. Commuter permits are available without charge to part-time students.

More information about campus parking policies can be found on the Office of Public Safety website.

The City of Kenosha No. 4 bus stops on campus regularly Monday-Saturday. The No. 4 bus makes stops at Glenwood Crossings (Pick ‘N’ Save, Walgreens, McDonalds, and other stores/restaurants); Downtown Kenosha; Meijer; and more. On campus, the bus stops near the main entrance of the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Natural and Social Sciences. Visit the City of Kenosha website for specific route schedules

Before each semester starts, practice timing your driving or public transportation route to campus based on your class schedule. We recommend adding an extra 15 minutes for the first week of classes due to high volumes of traffic and occasional congestion on campus.

When traveling to and from campus, we encourage you to pay close attention to local weather forecasts and prepare for inclement weather. All students should keep their emergency contact information and preferred method of communication up to date to ensure receipt of emergency notifications of severe weather. Contact information and preferences can be updated any time through Workday.

Prepare for your commute by getting an oil change, tune-up, and tire rotation before classes start to ensure your car is in working order. Look into roadside assistance options in case of flat tires and uncharged batteries. Always have an ice scraper, extra wiper fluid, and other vehicle essentials in the trunk in case of emergencies. Look into rewards programs at local gas stations to find ways to save money on commuting costs.

Carthage Dining, powered by Parkhurst, emphasizes fresh, healthy, and creative meals hand-crafted by expertly trained chefs. View our on-campus dining options

Meal Plans and Birdie Bucks

Commuter Meal Plans can be purchased as needed in blocks throughout the academic year. Birdie Bucks can be added to commuter student ID anytime via the GET App. See meal plan options for commuters

Luther’s Lunchbox is a free stop-and-go supplementary meal program available to Carthage students seven days a week in A. F. Siebert Chapel. All students are welcome to utilize Luther’s Lunchbox whenever needed. 

Located in the A. F. Siebert Chapel complex, the Ehrler Hospitality Center is where students can hang out, study, play games, or have lunch — a fridge and microwave are available for use. Free tea and hot chocolate are always available in winter, and a water cooler is available to fill water bottles between classes. The center is also used for Interfaith Lunch, study groups, student organization meetings, and other gatherings. 

The Center for Student Success supports students as they transition to college, and as they continue on their journey to a degree.

Individual student advising
All new students at Carthage are matched with a student success advisor before their first semester begins and will continue to work with their advisors through graduation. 

Time management
A busy class schedule, along with work and commute times, can present difficulties for managing your time, but it is possible to balance your responsibilities with effective time management. A few tips that may help you navigate time management:

• Set up a schedule for each week, which should include a set time for your commuting, studying, meal breaks, and class times.
• Organize your time with digital calendars, reminder apps, or basic to-do lists — whichever task completion method works best for you.
• Prioritize class work based on deadlines and order of importance. It may help to reserve extra time to revise work or meet with tutors if you need more support.

Staying organized will help you feel significantly more prepared for your semester!

Dedicated College Success Seminar section for commuters
All new students at Carthage are enrolled in College Success Seminar, a college transitions course that will lay the foundation for your academic success on campus. Commuter students are able to indicate interest in joining a course section dedicated to supporting commuters. 

The Writing Center offers in-person, online, and asynchronous appointments, bookable through Navigate.

Writing Center fellows come from a wide range of majors across the College — from art to math. Some live on campus and others commute, and they’re involved in everything from athletics to the Japanese Club.

Writing fellows can help with any stage of the writing process, including reading and understanding your course materials, brainstorming paper ideas, thesis writing, organizing structure, citations, formatting, and building a strong argument. We also look at all kinds of writing, from scholarship applications to lab reports and Intellectual Foundations essays.

Peer Tutoring offers in-person appointments for most general education and lower-level courses. Tutors in some disciplines are also able for virtual appointments on Zoom. You can book a 1:1 appointment or meet as a group; all tutoring sessions are bookable through Navigate.

Peer tutors are students from across the College — offering tutoring sessions in majors ranging from biology and chemistry to psychology and religion. While most tutors live on campus, many are commuter students and hold off-campus jobs in addition to their work on campus.

Tutoring schedules are flexible and can offer academic support on core concepts, study skills, homework, quiz and exam prep, and more.

Learning Accessibility Services (LAS) works with students with a documented disability and their instructors to create a plan for appropriate accommodations and support resources. These services are free to Carthage students. If you would like to discuss accommodations and how the process works at Carthage, please contact us so we can set up a time to meet in person or virtually.

All academic and administrative departments at Carthage are committed to the success of all of our students. The Office of Equity and Inclusion supports student success by serving as a central hub for all students, faculty, staff, and administrators looking to advance their own cultural competency and advocacy work.

The Health and Counseling Center assists students (residential and commuters) in addressing physical, mental, and emotional well-being. All services are free and confidential and are provided by experienced professionals trained to attend to the concerns of young adults in college.

Uwill — Teletherapy Services
All Carthage students have access to teletherapy services through Uwill, a leading online mental health platform for colleges and universities. Uwill offers students a secure and convenient way to receive assistance from a licensed counselor in a variety of formats — video, chat, messaging, or phone.

The Center for Faith and Spirituality offers many ways for members of the Carthage community to engage with their faith and each other. Students are welcome to use the Ehrler Hospitality Center, which includes a refrigerator and microwave, or the A. F. Siebert Chapel lobbies to relax, study, or gather. The center also supports commuter students through programs like Commuter Breakfasts, Luther’s Lunchbox, and free access to lockers.