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.
For nearly 20 years, Lehigh’s move-out collection drive has resulted in one of our most successful yearly community events - the Great South Side Sale. From a first year tally of $500 to the latest grand total of $21,000, the sale and its revenue have grown from a simple way to recycle unwanted items to a great way to connect students, faculty and staff with the local community. Sales from the event benefit children and youth programs in South Bethlehem.
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
