Integrating Teaching, Learning, And Community Outreach: Western Carolina's Local Government Youth Assembly‪.‬

Although research and service contributions are important, it is a love for teaching that motivates many college faculty members. Excellent teachers often inspired faculty to pursue careers in higher education, and, for many, working with students is the major activity each day. While teaching remains the primary mission for most university faculty, the authors of this study argue that teaching, learning, and community outreach can be integrated in a more holistic sense. This is evident in a unique initiative of Western Carolina University's Public Policy Institute and the university's Pi Gamma Mu chapter, the local government youth assembly. This study first addresses the traditional teaching model and recent efforts to supplement traditional instruction approaches. It then highlights the planning and implementation of the youth assembly, an event that involves both faculty and students in teaching, learning, and community service. Traditional Instruction