Michael Schwartz presents historical poster to Colville AIA Insurance representative.
(Photos courtesy of Michael Schwartz)
Hoping to spark a little downtown revival, WSU students recently designed and donated storefront historical displays for businesses in Colville and Kettle Falls. Under the direction of instructor Andrea Mason, students in the English 402 Technical and Professional Business Writing Class presented their work Dec. 16 at the Colville Chamber of Commerce.
The project was the brainchild of Debra Kollock, director of the Stevens County Extension Office, who approached the WSU Center for Civic Engagement Statewide Service Partnership last summer. The Partnership helps students engage in course-based service learning projects outside of the Pullman area.
Michael Schwartz, master’s student in history, helped coordinate the project as part of his graduate assistantship. He feels that projects between the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) and Extension are important.
“We work with professors and students who perform much needed service – and at the same time the students get to apply what they are learning in class. In these hard economic times, it is important for WSU students to make a difference, and they are doing that as well as fulfilling the land-grant mission of the college,” he said.
For this project, students were asked to create storefront historical displays to showcase the rich history of the Colville area while potentially drawing in more business. The Stevens County Extension Office and CCE worked together with Mason’s students to gather historical photos, data and funding for the displays. Additional logistical support and expertise was offered by Elaine Clough of the Stevens Co. Heritage Network and Janet Thomas of the Stevens Co. Historical Society.
Five Colville businesses took part in the project including AIA Insurance, Park Place Restaurant, R.E. Lee Shoes, Remax Real Estate and Sun Rental. The Apple Warehouse also took part in Kettle Falls.
To learn more, see online @
http://cce.wsu.edu/
http://cce.wsu.edu/
English instructor, Andrea Mason, hands out papers.
English 402 student looks over one of the Colville historical posters prepared by
her class – in conjuction with the Center for Civic Engagement and Stevens Co. Extension.
