Service and the City: Impacting First-Year Students via Town and Gown

Abstract

First-year students typically come to college with little knowledge about the city they will call home. Universities can unite with their local communities to provide opportunities for student involvement while giving students a chance to learn what their city has to offer. Learning outcomes from a Mississippi State University first-year experience course and campus-wide day of service illustrated how service within a local community impacted the beliefs of students about their city and provided new ways to link town and gown. A discussion of student benefits, as well as information about how to create town and gown experiences, is shared.