The Town-Gown Advisory Council began as an informal reading group, cofounded by Dean Walt Collins and Dr. Lisa Hammond in 2017. A group of community and campus leaders read The Optimal Town-Gown Marriage by Dr. Stephen M. Gavazzi, Dean and Director of The Ohio State University at Mansfield regional campus—an institution similar in a number of respects to USCL—and began an exploration of creative strategies for enhancing the educational mission of USCL and the economic and cultural prospects of Lancaster County.
In 2018, the Town-Gown Advisory Council was formally constituted and today includes partners from local non-profits, arts and education organizations, and area businesses.