RADFORD -- About 300 Radford University freshmen will not be able to sleep in until noon this Saturday.

Instead, they will start the day at 9 a.m. and spend all morning giving of themselves in a Day of Service by painting, washing windows, mulching and planting flowers around the city.

"The most important thing is to teach freshman students to give back to the community," said Mike Dunn, the director of new student programs and services.

The students, all enrolled in a course that introduces them to college life called University 100, are required to attend the service event and to reflect on their experience for the class.

These students also live together in the all-freshman RU Connections dorms: Peery Hall, Draper Hall and the 10th through 13th floors of Muse Hall.

Many RU freshmen have done community service through their University 100 courses in the past. But this year is a little different because all the service will be done only in Radford, all on the same day, said Teresa Dickens, the assistant director of service learning and career counseling.

Dickens said the idea was to create more meaningful results by having all the students go out at the same time.

Melinda Rose, the coordinator of RU Connections, said the faculty who teach the RU Connections University 100 courses will work side-by-side with their students on the projects.

Rose said that is an important part of the day.

It will allow students to see their professors as real people outside of class and help build a feeling of community between the freshmen and faculty members.

"I'm hoping that they are going to see how much fun it is to do something like that as a group," said Stacey Price, an adjunct professor of media studies who teaches one section of University 100. "It's not about the window washing."

Price said she plans to have a debriefing discussion with her students after the Day of Service to find out what they learned, a component that makes this event more than just volunteering, but also service learning.

Kevin Ong, an RU junior who is helping to teach Price's University 100 course, said he hopes the day will be a fun outing for students to get outside -- rain or shine -- and be active in the community.

"I tell them, 'It's to get your feet wet out there,' " he said. " 'We're not asking much. You never know, this might be your niche.' "

The day may also help to bridge the town-gown divide and show students what the city has to offer.

"I know the business owners appreciate seeing them down there and doing something proactive," said Becky Haupt, director of Main Street Radford. "It just breaks down a lot of barriers. It's not an us-versus-them situation."

Main Street Radford is one of several city organizations that the students will be assisting on Saturday.

The hope, Dunn said, is that students will see the needs of each of these groups and return on their own to do more long-term service.