In places like Greene County, institutions become woven into the local identity. That is especially true when the institution is a small college. The phrase “town and gown” may sound formal – even old-fashioned – but the idea behind it is simple. For those unfamiliar with the phrase, it refers to the relationship between a college and the community that surrounds it.
In large cities, colleges can operate almost like neighborhoods unto themselves such as Pitt’s Oakland campus. In small towns, that separation is nearly impossible. The success of the town affects the college. The success of the college affects the town. And when those relationships are healthy, both sides become stronger.
It would be disingenuous to suggest that the relationship between Waynesburg University and the town has been completely harmonious over the years – especially in the last three decades.
There have been fissures and even fractures in the relationship for multiple reasons that we do not need to enumerate or dwell on. Many of these complications linger and impede future progress for our town, county, and area. We must understand the symbiotic nature of such a relationship to achieve what is best for both entities.
For generations, small colleges have served as more than places of learning. They become employers, gathering places, cultural centers, volunteer forces, and sources of local pride. Likewise, small towns provide colleges with character, tradition, and a sense of belonging that cannot be built with bricks and landscaping alone.
For generations, students have arrived in Waynesburg carrying suitcases, expectations, and uncertainty. Many came from nearby communities. Others traveled from across the state and beyond. Yet almost immediately many of them encountered something that cannot be measured in enrollment reports or financial statements—a community that cares about people.
Through the years, students discovered local restaurants that remembered their orders, families who welcomed them into churches and businesses that offered part-time jobs. In fact, some of our most notable community leaders today came to the college in the 1960s and 1970s and never left. These individuals quickly became engrained in our community in various capacities. On a personal note, my little league football coaches were members of those legendary Jacket teams of the mid-60s.
Just as important on the other side of the equation, local residents filled the college gym and football field, attended performances, and treated campus events as community events. I’m old enough to remember the huge crowd that gathered to welcome home the 1966 National Champion football team and the long lines that literally waited hours to get in to see the 1980s Jacket basketball teams. That interaction created something larger than a college experience. It created belonging.
Beyond the cultural and civic aspects of the relationship is the economic impact of a small college on a town. In communities where manufacturing, agriculture, energy, and small business all play important roles, a college often provides a different kind of stability. For years, administrators, faculty, and staff at the college bought homes, goods, and services in the area. In addition, they joined social and civic organizations to strengthen the fibers of community. However, the nationwide trend known as “adjunctification” has somewhat limited this connection. Fewer full-time professors means more adjunct professors who can commute to the campus from outside the county.
But reducing the relationship to economics misses the bigger picture. Small colleges often become cultural anchors. Performing arts programs bring theater, concerts, lectures, and exhibits that might otherwise require a drive to Pittsburgh or Morgantown. Athletic contests could still become a community event, albeit not like it was a generation ago.
Such public events can create opportunities for residents and students to sit in the same room, share experiences, and strengthen local ties.
For some residents, campus traditions have become community traditions. Homecoming weekends draw alumni back not only to the institution but to the town itself. Such events usually include former students revisiting their favorite old haunts. However, the town has changed so much this experience is limited for many of those returning alumni.
On a positive note, the University regularly places students into schools, nonprofits, youth organizations, churches, health programs, and community events. Students still coach little leagues, mentor children, organize food drives, assist at festivals, and support local causes.
Those experiences do more than help the community. They teach the students that citizenship is not abstract. Likewise, community members gain something equally valuable—energy, fresh perspectives, and connections to younger generations.
In communities such as ours facing population decline and demographic challenges, those relationships matter. Many rural counties continue searching for ways to retain young adults. The University can become part of that equation – if people work together.
Obviously, strong town and gown relationships do not happen automatically. There are challenges.
Students sometimes see themselves as temporary visitors rather than community members. Every college/university student from the county has heard the pejorative “hoopie” lobbed as a condescending invective. Conversely, locals occasionally view campus life as separate or disconnected. Parking concerns, housing issues, and generational differences can create tension.
The answer has never been isolation. It has always been engagement. Colleges that thrive in small communities encourage students to leave campus and participate in local life. Community leaders invite institutions into planning conversations. Businesses support students. Residents attend events. Faculty serve on boards and committees.
The goal is not to eliminate differences. The goal is to recognize shared interests. Because in a small town, everyone benefits when neighbors succeed.
The strongest examples of town and gown relationships are not built through major announcements or ribbon cuttings. They are built in ordinary moments. Those moments accumulate. They create identity. They create loyalty. They create the kind of place people remember.
Small towns understand something that larger places sometimes forget: community is not automatic. It must be built. And when a college and a town choose to build together, they become more than neighbors. They become partners in each other’s future.
The GreeneScene welcomes its readers to share their opinions on civic, economic, or cultural issues in Town Square Thoughts. All submissions must be respectful and constructive points of view aimed at improving our area. Please send Thoughts to bret@directresults.us
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