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When Michael Ruybal, a PeakMade Property Manager, first arrived at the Merced Station site in Merced, California, it was nothing but a field of dirt. Now, it’s a dynamic, purpose-built student housing community designed to meet the fast-paced, tech-driven realities of modern college life.
From the start, every decision behind Merced Station’s design centered on one goal — offering students reliable, convenient and intuitive amenities that simplify their day-to-day experience. That commitment extends to every corner of the property, including the on-site printing solution.
Having seen PrintWithMe’s self-serve model successfully implemented at other properties, Michael knew it was a no-brainer for Merced Station. “PrintWithMe really changes the game because it puts the power in the resident’s hands. The number of people we see that print and then just come in and grab and go — it really works to their advantage. You know…that college life.”
For a community filled with students juggling deadlines, group projects and demanding coursework, on-demand secure printing isn’t just a convenience — it’s an essential amenity that sets the tone for a smarter, more efficient living experience.
Based on his experience at other properties, Michael knew firsthand how quickly ad-hoc student printing demands could spiral out of control — and how much stress they could create for both staff and residents.
What began as a well-intentioned convenience always seemed to end up creating more problems than it solved. Printers jammed. Toner ran out. Students needed last-minute help. And every time, it was the on-site team that had to drop what they were doing to fix it. He recalls one unforgettable late-night sprint at a previous property: “I sat up till 2:00 in the morning printing out everything for a young lady’s final because she overslept and needed to turn it in.”
Needless to say, that experience stuck with him. It wasn’t just about one student’s procrastination or one late night for him — it was a pattern. Traditional printers made life harder for staff and didn’t deliver the convenience students expected.
Determined to avoid the same pitfalls at Merced Station, Michael refused to let his team suffer at the hands of traditional printers. He wanted a solution that was simple, reliable and entirely self-serve — something that would keep students independent and let his team focus on running the community, not managing printers.
Rather than letting printers dictate the Merced Station staff’s time, Michael brought in PrintWithMe, a fully managed, tech-powered printing solution that put students in control and freed staff from constant upkeep.
Michael noticed the difference immediately — and so did his team. “The most common thing I hear from staff is, ‘I learned something new today.’ They’re kind of always in that shock and awe that somebody else is monitoring it and they don’t have to go over and figure that out.”
Since installing PrintWithMe, Merced Station has seen clear benefits for residents, staff and operations:
From a dirt lot to the buzzing student community it is today, Merced Station was built to make daily life simpler, smarter and more connected. PrintWithMe fits seamlessly into that vision — an amenity that works hard behind the scenes so students and staff don’t have to.
Students get reliable access to printing whenever they need it. Staff gain peace of mind from knowing everything runs smoothly.
The result? A self-serve solution that proves when amenities are thoughtfully designed, everyone benefits.
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