Robert J. Bonk
In today’s fast-paced world, educational programs increasingly try to expedite curricula so that students can reach full potential for their future careers. Economic challenges especially pressure institutions to ensure the relevance of courses, as well as ladders achievable in four (or slightly more) years of study. All of us can relate to these pressures. Nonetheless, students need to understand their role as citizens in a multicultural environment; courses that connect students with their communities provide such an avenue for balancing all these competing challenges. In fact, we emphasize the interconnectedness of “the gown and the town” at Widener University, a metropolitan institution located in a disadvantaged city.