Eager freshmen go 'Into the Streets' of U. City

Around 40 percent of the freshman class participated in projects to introduce students to the neighborhood. For slackers and late sleepers, the Quadrangle was an unusually peaceful place Saturday. Approximately 40 percent of the freshman class was off campus by 10:30 a.m. on their second Saturday at the University, working at a slew of community service sites around Philadelphia for the annual Into the Streets project. Just three blocks from the high rises, Spruce Street House residents planted flowers on 4045 Ludlow Street. But for many freshmen, Saturday meant a trip off campus and a first encounter with SEPTA. What started seven years ago as a program exclusively for residents of the lower Quadrangle's Community House attracted 1,040 students and 16 corporate sponsors this year, according to the head coordinator, Program for Student-Community Involvement Co-Director Liz Price. This year, in fact, the event generated so much interest that an entire Community House hall could not go. "[The program has trouble] on a Saturday, because many agencies aren't open," noted David Grossman, co-director of PSCI. "But we don't really have too much flexibility? the freshmen orientation schedule is fairly packed." Otherwise, responses from this year's Into the Streets seemed positive, although the four coordinators -- Price and three hired student interns -- have not yet reviewed the evaluation forms. "It was a lot of fun and a great way to meet people in my hall," said College freshman Jennifer Jong. While it wasn't the first year Mayor Ed Rendell or City Councilperson Jannie Blackwell paid the Quad a visit for the event, it was the first time the picnic -- which also featured student performing arts groups Off the Beat and Mask and Wig -- was held in the morning, which Grossman noted was not only logistically better for students arriving back at different times, but gave the students a better sense of "context." "We wanted to convey to people before they went out as a group some of what we hoped they would get out of [Into the Streets] before they went out," Grossman said. And sound system difficulties aside, most students said they enjoyed the kickoff event, which boasted bagels from Fairmount Bagel Institute, coffee from the Bucks County Coffee's "coffeemobile" and food from Dining Services. In addition, both Price and student coordinator and College junior Adil Ali emphasized that all lines of communication -- among students, agencies, residential advisors and University community groups -- worked better than in years past. "We really tried to emphasize community participation and get the agencies to include regular volunteers to make it seem like a joint effort," said Price, who also noted that several residential advisors had already expressed the desire to follow through with future hall-based community service events. "As a one-day event, it serves a lot of purposes -- introducing neighborhoods and community agencies, and also as a whole bonding experience," Grossman said. But beyond the events of the day, Grossman and Price hoped the clearer lines of communication and several changes -- including fewer cleanup sites at this year's event and a listserv for interested students -- along with annual events like this Wednesday's Volunteer Fair on Locust Walk -- would encourage students to make community service more habitual. Grossman also noted that the University has more courses involving community service than any other he knew of. "I'm not sure that you would speak to representatives at any urban university that would say their relationship with their community is peachy-keen," he said. "[But there are things] they can do to build bridges of understanding."