Lehigh is invested in lending vibrancy and stability to the neighborhood. Successfully transformed neighborhoods boast a rich intellectual and cultural climate and offer a comfortable environment for students, employees and residents alike.
The South Bethlehem Greenway has transformed a narrow trail of railroad tracks that once divided South Bethlehem into a scenic linear park and paved path which links neighborhoods within the business district, paralleling Rte. 412 from New Street to the Skate Plaza off Steel Ave. Eventually the trail will run more than three miles between Union Station and Saucon Park in Hellertown.
Lehigh students who take part in Service Learning Projects are placed into teams and then paired with a local community agency to work on a project which benefits the community members targeted by that agency. Examples include working at food banks, creating educational and wellness programs, tutoring, historical preservation and more.
Lehigh graduate students in the Community Fellows Program further their academic interests while bringing needed expertise and assistance to community programs throughout the Lehigh Valley. Community Fellows are matched with a partner agency that allows them to integrate social activism into the academic setting by collecting and analyzing data, coordinating and promoting events, creating curricula and more.
Bethlehem's South Side offers a series of exciting events throughout the year that draw community members and visitors alike to its commercial district. First Fridays, Spring on the SouthSide, ArtsQuest, the SouthSide Film Festival and the Bethlehem Farmers' Market are just a few of the events that showcase the neighborhood's eclectic retailers and restaurants, as well as its vibrant arts and cultural scene.
The Spring Fling is one of the cornerstone campus events where Lehigh students perform more than 50,000 hours of community service each year. The springtime carnival provides free food, crafts, games and other attractions to South Bethlehem families, helping to build the relationship between the campus and local community. The event consistently attracts more than 1,000 people and is always a fantastic experience for the volunteers and families alike.
community not-for-profit and governmental organizations have been served by the Community Fellows Program
Lehigh students participated in volunteer programs in 2014-15
Holiday Hope Chest boxes of presents collected for local families at the holidays in 2015
local schoolchildren attend at least one complimentary event at the Zoellner Arts Center every year
South Bethlehem children participated in a community service program during the 2015-16 academic year
