The Town-Gown Advisory Council began as an informal reading group, cofounded by Dean
Walt Collins and Dr. Lisa Hammond in 2017. A group of community and campus leaders
read The Optimal Town-Gown Marriage by Dr. Stephen M. Gavazzi, Dean and Director of The Ohio State University at Mansfield
regional campus—an institution similar in a number of respects to USCL—and began an
exploration of creative strategies for enhancing the educational mission of USCL and
the economic and cultural prospects of Lancaster County.
In 2018, the Town-Gown Advisory Council was formally constituted and today includes
partners from local non-profits, arts and education organizations, and area businesses.