All first-year Thomas College students are required to participate in community service. Thomas College Kiest-Morgan Scholar students, those who work to complete their Bachelor’s degree in three years instead of four, volunteered with Waterville Creates! to set up a holiday pop-up shop downtown. Professor Jim Libby created the partnership because he wanted the students to experience something business-related. The Morning Sentinel covered the story, the Portland Press Herald re-published it, and WABI-TV Channel 5 also covered the story.