Cornell College and the Southeast Linn Community Center (SELCC) are partnering to offer Ram Rides, a new transportation service for Cornell students.
Launched in early April, the program allows students to schedule rides for out-of-town medical appointments, flights, religious services, grocery trips, and other errands.
“It is great to see the partnership between Cornell College and SELCC expanding,” said Cornell Director of Campus Safety Doug Shannon. “SELCC has long been a staple for support in the Lisbon and Mount Vernon area, and providing reliable transportation for students is a huge win for campus accessibility.”
The collaboration began when Shannon realized that, even though Campus Safety offered transportation for students, the office didn’t have the resources to cover all the requested rides. With the success of Natalia’s Food Pantry, an SELCC satellite site at Cornell, fresh on his mind, Shannon turned to Nicole McAlexander, executive director of Southeast Linn Community Center. Building on the transportation network SELCC already had in place, they worked together to iron out the details, and Ram Rides was born.
“We are thrilled to be able to extend our transportation services to Cornell College students,” McAlexander said. “We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Cornell Campus Safety to fill this gap for students.”
Previously, SELCC’s transportation program only served senior residents of Lisbon and Mount Vernon.
Depending upon the availability of volunteer drivers, Ram Rides can be scheduled for Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some evening and weekend rides may be possible. SELCC’s volunteer drivers pick up students at Cornell’s Thomas Commons.
To request a ride, call Cornell’s Office of Campus Safety at 319.895.4299 or the Ebersole Health and Wellbeing Center at 319.895.4292. Students should submit their Ram Rides request a minimum of 48 hours in advance.