Each September before the academic year begins a group of incoming RISD freshmen discovers that art and community service go hand in hand through a program called RISD Reach. Now in its fourth year, the service learning initiative fosters beneficial connections between first-year students and nonprofit organizations, giving the newest members of the RISD community a unique and meaningful introduction to the arts in Providence and Rhode Island.

Service work undertaken by RISD Reach student volunteers grows from a partnership between RISD and City Arts, a nonprofit organization bringing high-quality arts education to children in Providence. This year, as in each fall since the program was initiated by the Office of Student Life in 2001, 25 students arrived on campus before the general freshman orientation to begin training sessions for their work — an experience that also serves to build a sense of community before the start of the school year. The “Reachers” were then assigned several creative projects to complete within one dayıs time. One session’s tasks included silk-screening t-shirts and painting a mural spanning the length of the City Arts building; the volunteers were pleased to learn months later that graffiti on the building had ceased since the mural appeared.

RISD Reachers continue their service through City Arts during the fall semester and into Wintersession. Last winter several freshmen mentored young City Arts students, deepening connections between RISD and the community while benefiting from the experience of learning while teaching. In the spring semester upperclass RISD Reach alumni also plan and implement their own service learning projects, recruiting fellow volunteers for initiatives such as fundraising events for medical research, food drives and literacy programs.

Nathan Andary, assistant director of Residence Life and one of the movers behind RISD Reach, explains that a primary objective of the program is “to help students learn the value of community projects where college credit or money isn’t the goal.” Along the way, he adds, relationships forged between participants on both sides of the program help to “bridge the gap between the east and south sides,” linking the strong academic/artistic community on College Hill with urban neighborhoods that can benefit from its resources, energy and experience.

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