Undergraduate and Graduate students, faculty fellows, research scholars and faculty and professional staff attended the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs Welcome Reception on Tuesday, Sept. 15 in Walter Hall Rotunda on the Ohio University campus. The annual event provides information about the school’s projects and initiatives and introduces guests to the Appalachian region beyond Ohio University’s campus.
Around 150 students, faculty and professional staff attended the reception, including students representing a wide variety of backgrounds and academic concentrations – Public Administration, Environmental Studies, Business, undergraduate honors and numerous other areas of study. Upon entering Walter Rotunda, students were given worksheets to complete while they munched on appetizers provided by the University caterer. The trivia handout focused on Voinovich School projects and included 15 questions, ranging from the number of Appalachian counties to the reason they can find orange water in Southeast Ohio streams.
Representatives from Voinovich School affiliates including The Master’s of Public Administration, the Environmental Studies program, the Regional Nonprofit Alliance, the Consortium for Energy, Economics and the Environment, and the Ohio University Executive Leadership Institute (OUELI) were just a handful that stood at the numerous tables lining the room, where they answered questions and discussed their projects with the incoming and returning students.
For returning undergraduate research scholar Jessica Cherok, a senior HTC Political Science major, the event was a great reminder of the school’s impact on the Athens and Appalachian Ohio communities. “It’s amazing to see how much everyone at the Voinovich School has achieved in the year since our last welcome reception. Talking to faculty and staff members from all of these projects allowed me and other students to better understand the depth and scope of the Voinovich School’s work,” said Cherok, who is working with professional staff member Robin Stewart on a Ford Foundation funded project; developing a toolkit that will allow others to replicate rural produce auctions throughout the United States.
The students were not the only attendees who were curious about the innovation and applied research occurring at the Voinovich School. Other guests joined in, visiting tables, including Dr. Pam Benoit, Ohio University’s new Executive Vice President and Provost. Benoit, the keynote speaker for the event, said she particularly enjoyed the TechGrowth Ohio table. During her keynote address, the provost commended faculty, staff and students for their commitment to addressing urgent issues. “In almost any dimension you can think of, this School succeeds and excels,” she said. “I am so proud to be affiliated with this university.”
Voinovich School Director and Political Science Professor, Mark Weinberg, welcomed attendees and emphasized the importance of using what is learned in the classroom to improve the situation of the surrounding community. “We want your talent, your passion and your commitment to this school, to this university, to this region and to this state.”