To kick off Commuter Life Appreciation Week (CLAW), Montclair State invited over 25 downtown businesses in Montclair, New Jersey to set up pop-up shop kiosks in the Student Center Quad.
Downtown shops for the pop-up event were set up in student center quad.
Rosaria Lo Presti | The Montclarion Photo credit: Rosaria Lo Presti
Not only did this give students the opportunity to shop, but it also allowed students to speak with business owners and managers. Part-time jobs and internships were also available to students interested in experiencing the business world first hand.
Freshman economics major Anthony Adrignolo expressed his excitement in the job opportunities provided by the pop-up event.
“This event was a great opportunity for students looking for part-time jobs that are flexible with their busy school schedules,” Adrignolo said. “I visited several kiosks until I found the Investors Bank [shop], where I could apply for an internship.”
Java Love coffee shop located in Upper Montclair, New Jersey, was one of the many businesses attending the event.
Java Love representative Alex Cecere talked about why their business appeals to college students.
“It’s a really cool place to hang out and do homework, and if you get bored on campus you can always come by and hang out with us,” Cecere said.
Representatives of commuter life running the raffle booth where students could win free prizes.
Rosaria Lo Presti | The Montclarion Photo credit: Rosaria Lo Presti
Students additionally had the option to participate in a raffle at the event where they could win free prizes.
Corinne Podolski, a sophomore majoring in English, was another student that attended the event.
“I heard about this event through email and decided to just check it out,” Podolski said. “I love Java Love coffee, so I wanted to stop by the little booth and check out what they had to offer.”
The purpose of the event was to bring awareness of the extensive downtown area of Montclair to the student body, seeing that it is filled with many quaint shops and businesses for students to explore.
Jason Gleason, the director of the Montclair Center Bid, attended the event to help students discover what downtown Montclair has to offer.
Jason Gleason and a representative of the Montclair Center Bid waiting for students to sign up to win a free gift card.
Rosaria Lo Presti | The Montclarion Photo credit: Rosaria Lo Presti
“Today we are helping coordinate along with Montclair State University all of these businesses here to interact with students on campus that maybe don’t know what’s going on downtown per se,” Gleason said.
From various job fairs to the arrival of several pop-up shops, Career Services has filled September with many events that give students the opportunity to meet with local businesses and see what downtown Montclair is all about.
