Engage OHIO: Community & Place-based Engagement Symposium
Engage OHIO: Community & Place-based Engagement Symposium
ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ’s Community and Place-based Engagement Symposium merges institutional activities and priorities around place-based education and community engagement, celebrating the power of community partnerships that advancing student learning and serving the public good. The symposium, offered each fall semester, features interactive sessions, panels and workshops that highlight innovative teaching, shared scholarship and impactful community initiatives.
This year's symposium will be held Thursday, Oct. 23, and Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, at the OHIO University Inn and Conference Center.
The 2025 Community and Place-based Symposium
The conference theme, "Engage OHIO," reflects the university- and community-wide nature of this symposium during which faculty, staff, administrators, students and community members come together to celebrate achievements and scholarship.
Thursday Plenary Speaker
Leslie Cook, Head of Professional Learning, Tetons Science School
Leslie’s interests in science and getting young people outside led her to attend Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center’s Graduate Program in Finland, Minnesota.
She completed her master’s degree at Prescott College and focused on understanding how educators connect students to place. Those graduate studies led her to the Teton Science Schools where she has been since 2008. Leslie works with the Professional Learning team, facilitating training for in-service and pre-service teachers near the Tetons, across the US, and around the world.
Since 2017, Leslie and her colleagues at Teton Science Schools have been partnering with OHIO University's faculty, staff and students to explore, experience and implement leadership and community engagement through place-based study and program development. This academic year, Leslie helped support the launch and delivery of OHIO's Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Place-based, Community-engaged faculty development certification.
Friday Keynote Speaker
Ken Oehlers, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio
As the Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio, Ken has spent the last 14 years helping families in Appalachia Ohio build strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter.
He has expanded the organization’s programs to include homeownership, essential home repair, micro-loans, and a construction social enterprise and job training program that provides services across Southeast Ohio.
Ken is active in the Southeast Ohio region, serving on numerous local boards and advisory committees. He has been Board Chair of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce and The John W. Clem Recovery House, and currently serves on the Community Advisory Council for The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, as well as Chair of the Board of Directors at Habitat for Humanity of Ohio, which provides training, support, and state-level advocacy for affiliates across Ohio. Ken lives in Athens with his wife and their two dogs.
Symposium Planning Committee
The symposium planning involves representatives from ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ collaborators and community partners.
- Courtney Lefebvre, Associate Director for Community Impact
- Jerry Miller, Professor, Director of Political Communications Certificate
- Michelle O'Malley, Executive Director of Experiential Learning
Engage OHIO 2025 Program
Thursday, Oct. 23, Awards Ceremony and Place-Based Plenary
5:45 Doors open at OU Inn
6:15 Opening Remarks
- Courtney Lefebvre, Associate Director for Community Impact
- Dr. Nukhet Sandal, Interim Associate Vice President for Community Impact
- Kerry Pigman, Executive Director, Athens County Foundation
- Dr. Lewatis McNeal, Vice Provost for Regional Higher Education
6:25 AWARDS CEREMONY
OHIO Community Engaged Faculty & Administrator Awards
OHIO Outstanding Community Partner Awards
Community Campus Coalition Ping Award for Community Service
7:10 PLENARY SESSION
Friday, Oct. 24, Morning Mobile Sessions, 9 a.m. to noon
Vans to mobile sessions depart at 9:10 - Pre-registration required
THE RIDGES | My Backyard Stream – A Citizen Science Program, Jen Bowman, Voinovich School, Basil Masri Zada, Ohio Museum Complex
Dive into watershed education with My Backyard Stream, a citizen science program connecting teachers, students, and communities across Ohio. Learn how to collect water quality data and why partners are using hands-on data collection and lesson plans to make water quality science engaging and accessible. Then, head to the Kennedy Museum of Art for a hands-on experience blending science and art. Explore the connections between ecology and culture, then design your own artistic interpretation to share and enjoy.
THE DAIRY BARN | Exploring Appalachia Through Art and Place, Erin McKenna & Rachel Clark, the Dairy Barn Arts Center, Basil Masri Zada, Ohio Museum Complex
Experience the story of the Dairy Barn Arts Center, a regional landmark where Appalachian heritage and contemporary art come together. This session includes a guided tour and history of the center, highlighting its role in celebrating local culture, supporting artists, and connecting community through place-based education. Then, head to the Kennedy Museum of Art for a hands-on experience blending science and art. Explore the connections between ecology and culture, then design your own artistic interpretation to share and enjoy.
SOUTHEAST OHIO HISTORY CENTER | Catalytic Heritage: Culture and Economic Development, Jessica Cyders, Lee Sites & Logan Lambert, Southeast Ohio History Center, Andrew Chiki, City of Athens, Ben Lachman, BlueDot Coworking, & Tee Ford, Mount Zion Black Cultural Center
Tour the Southeast Ohio History Center and learn about its work preserving and sharing regional heritage. Then join a panel exploring how historic preservation fuels community and economic revitalization, with case studies on the transformation of Mount Zion Baptist Church into a Black Cultural Center and the Armory into a coworking and event space.
Place-Based Workshops, Cutler Ballroom, OU Inn, 9 a.m. to noon
Alternative Spring Break in Appalachia Kim Jeffers, Jake Lietzow, Office of the Provost, Harry and Janis Ivory, Rendville Historic Preservation Society
Workshop: Real World Problems Jacqueline Yahn, Patton College, Emily Bentley, Building Bridges to Careers
What happens when students spend spring break in service instead of on vacation? Hear from coordinators, students, and community partners about ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ’s Alternative Spring Break program. Through stories, reflection, and even art, see how this immersive experience builds civic engagement, leadership, and deep community connections.
Join us for an engaging, hands-on workshop designed to bring Real World Problem Scenario (RWPS) to life across in your classroom, on your campus, or within your organization. This interactive session will introduce practical tools, proven strategies, and valuable partnerships. You’ll learn how RWPS can empower educators and staff to connect students with real-world experiences, local businesses, and creative career pathways.
Lunch Keynote
Ken Oehlers, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio
Concurrent Sessions I, OU Inn, 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Tourism, Storytelling, and Community Impact: Frameworks and Case Studies: Boone Troyer, Athens County Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, Desa Tobin-Nairn, Patton College, Adonis Durado, Scripps College
Tourism, education, and community growth thrive when partners work together. This session highlights how collaboration shapes tourism that tells authentic community stories. Visit Athens County will share its regional framework, followed by case studies where Hospitality & Tourism students advanced sustainable tourism through service-learning projects and Visual Communication students partnered with locals to create signage, exhibits, and branding. Together, these examples show how partnerships grow tourism, enrich student learning, and celebrate Southeast Ohio’s identity.
GIFTS from the Tetons - Great Ideas for Teaching: Faculty alumni of the 2025 Place-Based, Community-Engaged Pedagogy Workshop
Join OHIO faculty from the inaugural Place-based, Community-engaged Teaching Certification course, created with the Teton Science Schools’ Professional Learning Team in Summer ’25. The course prepared faculty across disciplines to use place-based pedagogy that amplifies community partners’ work in economic development, health, education access, resource management, and leadership.
Service-Learning & the Appalachian Community Grants Program Andie Walla, Scripps College & Gina Collinsworth, Ohio Valley Regional Development Council
Take a behind-the-scenes look at how student filmmakers traveled across Southeast Ohio to capture stories of communities transforming through Appalachian Community Grant projects. From mayors to grassroots leaders, students produced powerful videos while gaining professional skills. Presenters will share lessons from this ongoing collaboration and how storytelling strengthens both community impact and student learning.
Poster Session
Celebrate the breadth of community and place-based engagement through this interactive poster session. Browse projects, ask questions, and connect with ideas that spark innovation.
Concurrent Sessions II, OU Inn, 2:40 to 3:40 p.m.
Preparing Teachers for Place-Based Social Studies Teaching: Amy Wolfe, ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ Chillicothe, Debra Dunning, ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ Lancaster, Teri Peasley, ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ Zanesville, Martha Evans, ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ Southern, Kim Ciroli, ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ Eastern - Patton College
Faculty from five regional campuses highlight a collaborative initiative that immerses preservice teachers in place-based learning. Through field trips, service projects, and connections with public schools, teacher candidates gained deeper understanding of regional history and social issues while building responsive teaching practices. The model offers a replicable approach to integrating curriculum, community, and faculty collaboration.
Engaging Students though Mutually-Beneficial Partnerships: Lee Sites & Logan Lambert, Southeast Ohio History Center, Hester Lambright, OU Museum & Archives Club
Explore how the Southeast Ohio History Center and ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ work together to preserve regional culture while offering students hands-on experience. From internships to collaborative projects, these partnerships highlights how history and higher education can mutually support one another—and inspire broader regional coalitions.
Train Your Resilience Muscle – A Place-Based Framework for Leadership & Community Growth: Nagham Alsamari, Imkan Leadership Development
This interactive workshop introduces a resilience framework for students, nonprofits, and community leaders. Participants will explore practices that prevent burnout, build self-awareness, and strengthen leadership capacity. With guided reflection and practical tools, attendees will learn how resilience can support both personal growth and sustainable community engagement.
Community-Engaged Learning for Graduate Students: OHIO English: Megan AV Russell & Talinn Phillips, College of Arts & Sciences, Student Panel: Lauren Fitch, Morgan Henderson, Sabrina Lacy, Ashley Allen
Graduate students are stepping into community engagement in new ways. Hear directly from English interns who partnered with local nonprofits, alongside faculty who designed the program. This panel offers fresh insights into how graduate-level engagement shapes professional development, academic goals, and meaningful community impact.
Concurrent Sessions III, OU Inn, 3:50 to 4:50 p.m.
A University-Community Collaboration Toolkit: Advancing Sustainable Tourism in Ross County: M. Hashim Pastun, Voinovich School
This session presents a toolkit developed through ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ’s partnership with Ross County to guide sustainable tourism planning. Students, faculty, and local stakeholders co-designed feasibility studies and strategies using innovative tools like StoryMaps, AI-assisted planning, and outcome mapping. The model offers a replicable framework for aligning academic work with measurable community impact.
EPIC – A Practical Framework for Ethical Collaboration with Experts by Personal Impact (EPIs) Leah Buzek, IncuBrighter
This workshop introduces EPI-C, a framework for partnering ethically with individuals who bring lived experience to community change efforts. Participants will explore tools for role clarity, reciprocity, and trust-building, leaving with practical strategies to move beyond tokenism and toward authentic, power-sharing collaborations.
YOU ARE HERE: Incorporating Ohio into OHIO’s Writing Curriculum: Talinn Phillips, Paul Shovlin, Sara Abdelrahman, Loren Smith, College of Arts & Sciences
See how ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ’s writing program reimagined first-year composition through a place-based lens. Faculty will share how assignments—from rhetorical analyses of Athens to cross-cultural ghost story projects—help students see writing as rooted in place, culture, and identity. A lively look at how writing connects students to their new community.
Experiential Learning through Nursing Outreach in Homeless Camps: Angelina Hardiesty-Kelley, College of Health Sciences & Professions, ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ Chillicothe
Step into the world of community health through the eyes of nursing students who join outreach teams in Ross County homeless camps. This session reveals how hands-on engagement shifts perceptions, builds empathy, and prepares nurses for real-world challenges. Hear reflections that are eye-opening, humbling, and deeply human.
Closing Events, OU Inn, 4 to 6:30 p.m.
4:50 to 5 p.m.: Closing Remarks
5 to 6:30 p.m.: Happy Hour Reception | Solarium
For additional information, contact Associate Director for Community Impact Courtney Lefebvre.