Student Government Association members take Zipcar for first spin

No car? No problem.

Holy Cross students who have a license but no car won’t have difficulty getting off campus starting today (Oct. 12), the Student Government Association proudly announced.

That’s because the College has signed a deal with Zipcar, a car sharing company, to bring two cars on campus.

A reporter from “Worcester News Tonight” along with three members of SGA — Matt Broggini ’09, director of communications; co-chair Dave Lipke ’08; and Melissa Ogonowski ’09, director of environmental concerns — went on the first ride this afternoon.

SGA, along with the Office of Student Programs and Involvement, as well as Auxiliary Services, worked with Zipcar to get the deal signed.

“SGA really pushed hard to get them on campus, and it was because of our efforts that we are the first college in Worcester to have them, and still in the minority of colleges in the nation,” says Jonathan Niconchuk ’09, director of community relations for SGA.

The cars, a Toyota hybrid and a Ford Escape, will be parked in the student lot behind the Hogan Campus Center.

Niconchuk says the leaders wanted to assist students who didn’t have a vehicle on campus and help build community with the Worcester community — all while being environmentally conscious.

“One of the major concerns of students that we find is that they don’t have a way to get off campus,” says Niconchuk. “Students who don’t have their own car feel isolated in a lot of ways.”

In terms of building community, he says: “You can’t develop a relationship with the Worcester community if you can’t get into the community. You can’t get to know someone if you can’t see them,” he says.

Niconchuk also says that SGA is committed to College-wide environmental sustainability efforts, which is why one of the cars is a hybrid.

So far the response has been enthusiastic, says Niconchuk. The cars are also available to the general public.

“I was explaining it to the College Hill Civic Association, a community group made up of neighbors around the College, and they also had a positive response to the idea.”

So how did the first ride go?

“It drives really well!” says Lipke.

Related Information:

• Press Release: Holy Cross is the First College in Worcester to Have Zipcars on Campus • Student Government Association