Town-gown ties alive and well in FSU class

Do students attend a downtown university, or a university that just happens to be downtown?

Well, in at least one Fitchburg State University class, there’s no debate about the advantages of community engagement.

A project coordinated by a Fitchburg State University Honors class aims to make residents aware of the transformative changes now taking shape in the city’s downtown.

Professor Christa Marr from FSU’s Economics, History and Political Science Department and students in her current events and service learning class wanted to spread the good news.

That “Positivity Tour” is now underway.

While unable to put on an actual event due to coronavirus concerns, students, after consulting with municipal and state agencies working on downtown redevelopment, as well as local businesses and institutions, came up with some creative options to get their message across.

They’re highlighted in this “Positivity Tour,” which includes the installation of a small free library at the Activate Mill Street corridor, a kindness rock garden at the Fitchburg Public Library, and a positive pen-pal mailbox — replete with stamped envelopes — at the Senior Center.

The benefits from this project just don’t flow one way; it was a learning experience both residents and students.

“Working on this project has allowed me to view Fitchburg in a new light and appreciate its potential to become a revered part of the New England university community,” David Gambone of Ashburnham, a sophomore studying professional communications, told the newspaper.

The tour can also be viewed on a customized Google map that describes many city attractions.

A college education shouldn’t just be an insular academic exercise. Expanding one’s horizons with an appreciation of the challenges and rewards associated with living an urban environment molds a far more well-rounded graduate ready to take that step into the real world.

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