Augsburg College is incorporating public transit into all freshman seminars for the college’s approximately 450-student freshman class this fall. The intention: develop students’ familiarity with public transit so that students will feel comfortable using transit during their college years and beyond.
Augsburg College students explore light rail transit.
The Central Corridor Anchor Partnership is committed to boosting transit use by students and employees by 5% in five years. “By bringing transit experience into our curriculum, we are hoping to reveal to our new students how our campus is connected by transit to great urban amenities,” explained President Paul Pribbenow. “Transit promotion is also an important element of Augsburg’s Climate Action Plan.”
Transit experts have identified new students as an important market segment to reach during a formative time of transition. Metro Transit has agreed to provide each incoming Augsburg freshman will receive a Go To card loaded with $20 on August 31, City Service Day.
Some of the money on the card will go toward paying for public transit trips during the freshman seminars. The students get to keep the balance, and have the unique option to gain $40 more in value by adding $10 to their Go To card by October 1.