STATESBORO- The Office of Leadership and Community Engagement (OLCE) is hosting their annual event, Step Into Statesboro, this Saturday morning.

This event will run from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and is designed to welcome and inform students about Statesboro, and help them discover the community. Attendees will also be able to learn more about local volunteer and engagement opportunities around town. 

There will be a featured presenter to hear from and other local community partners to meet. Afterwards, students will go on a field trip to Downtown Statesboro led by Serve912 Trip Leaders or Community Liaisons, and be able to shop at the Mainstreet Farmers Market. 

 Emily Tanner, the OLCE Community Engagement Coordinator, has taken the reins this year to plan Step Into Statesboro. She believes that showing students the unique places in the downtown area will continue drawing them back for future events and exploration. 

 Tanner continued with, “The information is designed to spark curiosity and encourage students to make connections with partners, especially those who they feel are supporting or addressing a need or issue they are personally passionate about or connected to.”   

This event also gives the OLCE the ability to educate students on the community engagement within their office, to ultimately allow students to feel a greater sense of connection to the area.

Tanner explained that engaging with Statesboro goes deeper than just volunteering, and can be more about social justice and actively engaging with community partners to help them achieve their goals. 

This year, Step into Statesboro has developed a strong partnership with the Statesboro Farmers Market. John Banter, the OLCE Associate Director, said, “This will allow them to not only share information and resources with our students, but also with the community at large.”

Because of COVID, a lot of Georgia Southern students have not yet had the opportunity to explore Statesboro beyond campus, making this year’s event all the more special.

Clair Crow, a junior at Georgia Southern, attended this event last year when it was virtual. Although it was different online, she enjoyed learning more about the local businesses and all that Statesboro has to offer. 

“It made me feel more connected to the town and I was able to visit those places after the event,” Crow said. 

Step Into Statesboro’s goal is for students to become more active citizens of and for the local community. The information they receive can hopefully lead students to want to serve and support locally owned businesses in the growing downtown area.

Students can sign up for this event through Eagle Engage on their mygeorgiasouthern portal, or by clicking here.