In its second semester on campus, a service learning course is integrating the marketing skills of UW students and faculty with the expansive culinary options of South Madison to alter students’ perceptions about the area.
Professor Young Mie Kim, who teaches the School of Journalism course, seeks to dispel misconceptions about South Madison and make students more aware of what this ethnically rich sector of the city has to offer, primarily by using social media.
“People not living in South Madison have a misperception of that area like it’s dangerous with high crimes and very poor, but those are exaggerated,” Kim said.
According to Kim, the solution to this misconception is through the eyes and stomachs of UW students.
“Food is a great place to bridge people with many different backgrounds,” Kim said.
Students in this semester’s section of Journalism 676 are expanding on work from the previous semester’s class, who first launched the “Savor South Madison” campaign. The campaign website promotes ethnic restaurants, markets and grocery stores on the South Side.
Through the collaborative efforts of South Madison business owners and UW students, the campaign has “become a hub for other non-profit organizations with similar goals,” said Kim.
The community service learning course gives students a “hands-on” outreach opportunity by spending time in the metropolitan area with employees and business owners, according to current J676 student Andria Casey.
Through social media sites, “Savor South Madison” is gaining support on the UW campus.
Yet, Casey said they are still working through some challenges. Among them, the class currently faces questions about the extent to which South Madison residents have access to social media and networking sites.
“We are trying to create ways offline to develop bonding in the metropolitan community,” Casey said.
