Humboldt: An Intergenerational Music Experience

Music brought together Humboldt State students and senior citizens from a local residential living center in McKinleyville, California. For two semesters, students in two string quartets participated in service-learning music courses where they were given the chance to develop their repertoire during the fall semester and perform their pieces in the spring. In addition to their repertoires, students also performed a selection of jazz, fiddling and Celtic arrangements. The seniors and faculty were both moved by the experience. Faculty members are eagerly awaiting next year; as one shared, “the emotional learning was more than I expected.”
“The Humboldt State chamber music students played beautiful music for our residents to enjoy, which gets them out of their rooms and to be active. They love live music, and the variety of instruments and music is great! The residents enjoyed hearing from the students about school, life and their future plans. They enjoyed when the students also conversed with them after the performances...Thank you so much for coming.”
—A local community partner
Find out more about service learning and community engagement at Humboldt State.
community engagement through the arts:

With support from Cal Humanities, the CSU Sacramento Honors Program, in collaboration with Community Against Sexual Harm (CASH) and Take I Productions created the video “OFF-TRACK: A Behind the Scenes Look at Prostitution.” The video aims to inform and raise awareness of prostitution in the local communities of Sacramento and to inspire others to use non-judgment in providing services to victims of commercial sexual exploitation.