Students Collaborate with Lancaster County Clean Water Consortium

Marketing students at Millersville University are joining forces with the Lancaster County Clean Water Consortium (LCCWC), an organization with a mission to improve Lancaster stream water quality, to “sell” county residents on the values and importance of clean streams. There will be invitations for faculty and students on campus to participate in the service-learning efforts.

Members of the Millersville community involved in the LCCWC project collaborate during a recent meeting.

This project was in its early stages when Dr. Kathleen Schreiber, Millersville professor of geography, became a member one year ago. The LCCWC educates on the values, importance and responsibilities of clean streams, researches funding opportunities and engages input on policy-making related to Lancaster stream water quality. They are also helping to meet President Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Chesapeake Bay cleanup objective. In 2009, the Chesapeake Bay was declared a national treasure and created a new era of shared federal leadership, action and accountability.

Since February 2011, 30 students have been contributing to the project in several different areas. “Eight students in the ‘Marketing Research’ class focused on the project intensively, while a class of 20 created informative pamphlets that benefited the organization. This is the highest level marketing course that is offered. All marketing majors must take it in order to complete their degree,” said Dr. David DiRusso, assistant professor of marketing.

Schreiber and DiRusso believe that by having students work on this initiative it will provide a unique angle. Based on the preliminary research, students found that there was a critical need for education about watersheds and how they affect the community as a whole. Students working on this project suggest that the LCCWC should establish social networking sites, a strong LCCWC website and continue to spread the word on college campuses in the area.

This project is long-term and will be in effect for at least a decade or more. Students will continue to market this nonprofit organization as long as there is a need for them to do so.

For more information, visit LCCWC’s website.