Penn State, State College launch neighborhood welcome program

University Park, Pa. — Small teams of campus and community members will visit residential neighborhoods in downtown State College to welcome Penn State University Park campus students to the borough for the 2008-09 academic year, under a new initiative jointly sponsored by the borough and the University's Division of Student Affairs and Off-Campus Student Union.

Living In One Neighborhood, or LION, will send groups of four individuals— consisting of a student, a police officer, a senior University official and a borough official — to areas with a mix of student and permanent residents. The group will distribute tips on how to be a good neighbor and emergency contact numbers, as well as information on ordinances regarding trash, recycling, parking, noise and parties.

The LION walk is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. Wednesday (Aug. 27). The pilot program will visit about 250 homes primarily in the Holmes-Foster neighborhood near University Park.

Participants on Wednesday will include Penn State President Graham Spanier, Vice President for Student Affairs Damon Sims, University Police Director Steve Shelow, University Park Undergraduate Association President Gavin Keirans and Off-Campus Student Union President Pat Gordon. Mayor Bill Welch, Borough Council President Elizabeth Goreham and State College Police Chief Tom King are among the borough representatives.

The neighborhood welcome program is based on similar initiatives at Colorado University, Colorado State University and Texas A&M, where these programs have been successful in fostering better neighborhood relations and creating safer and cleaner neighborhoods.