James Lewis is a junior studying Architectural Studies, Sociology/Anthropology, and Urban Studies at Swarthmore College. He serves as the Swarthmore Student Liaison for the SEPTA YAC and participates in Swarthmore Urbanists, Mock Trial, and Debate Society.

Four to five times a week for work and research, Lewis uses the Media/Wawa Regional Rail Line, which directly connects Swarthmore’s on-campus train station to Center City in roughly 30 minutes. Within the city, he relies on the Market-Frankford and Broad Street Lines and Bus 109, and uses the Norristown High Speed Line to visit his partner at Villanova University. For many Swarthmore students who work, conduct research, visit friends, or even live in Philadelphia, the Regional Rail line is a fundamental part of campus life.

Lewis is originally from Reno, Nevada, a car-centric city. He credits SEPTA as one of the reasons for choosing Swarthmore.

“Growing up, I used to walk to elementary school with my, neighbors, and we would actually walk up the side of the freeway to get to my elementary school and so the cars would be flying past us and we’re like 5 and 6 years old and I have my younger brother and we’re just wandering up the side of the road,” Lewis said. “Coming to Philadelphia was a huge, huge shock both because I got to see trains beyond like the Amtrak that used to pass through, but also there were buses, there were trolleys. I could get anywhere I wanted in the city without having to drive, and then the walking infrastructure as well was just way better.”

Lewis entered college majoring in political science and philosophy, but SEPTA reoriented him. The transit system gave him access to volunteer work and published research in Kensington, and exploring Philadelphia’s built environment sparked a lasting interest in architectural design. SEPTA also opened up non-academic interests to him.

“I have gotten really into house and hip hop dance since I came to Swarthmore, and so I’m able to go and visit so many different clubs in Philadelphia and dancing circles, and that’s been really huge for me,” Lewis said. “Also, I’ve been able to attend sporting games, and I’ve never really attended a major sporting league event, but I went to an Eagles game this past year, which is really fun.”

Swarthmore College participates in SEPTA’s Student Key UPass program, which provides students with a free, unlimited SEPTA pass throughout the academic year. The college adopted the program in the 2023-24 academic year, replacing a more cumbersome reimbursement system. According to Lewis, SEPTA is the primary mode of transportation for Swarthmore students.

 “One of my favorite things about Swarthmore is that whenever I’m heading back in from Philadelphia on the Media/Wawa line, at every stop Swarthmore students are getting on, which is pretty fun, and then by the end of it, we’re all in a train car and there’s like 60 of us and we’re all just heading back to campus,” Lewis said.

During orientation week for freshmen, Swarthmore hosts a SEPTA “intensive” that teaches students about how to use the public transportation system and basic etiquette. Particularly, it aims to challenge common stigmas and myths around public transit and features students who have grown up using SEPTA.

“At Swarthmore, there’s a huge culture of wanting to go out and do good work in the world, wanting to give back to people, and so SEPTA lets us connect with so many groups,” Lewis said. “Part of the idea is wanting to create students who are well-rounded, who want to engage in the world, and who want to learn and be shaped by it, and SEPTA and UPass especially, is our school’s way of saying ‘We want our students to be well equipped with not just navigating a smaller liberal arts college campus, but also with navigating and working in the city and working with entire groups and populations that you might not otherwise interact with on a day-to-day basis.’”