SSI brings together Lehigh University faculty, students and staff with the people of Bethlehem to share knowledge, foster democracy, and improve the quality of life in our city. SSI rests on the proposition that the teaching and research mission of the university—and the quality of life in Bethlehem—will be enhanced by this collaboration that allows for the sharing of local forms of knowledge, historical memory, and cultural practice with those in the university. SSI ultimately provides a forum to address pressing challenges in the life of the city by creating opportunities for informed democratic deliberation and action.