Approximately 40 participants joined in a dialogue and activist training on childhood poverty, food security, inequalities in education and homelessness from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, in room 105 of the Joseph C. Shouvlin Center for Lifelong Learning at 果冻传媒 University.
The event is one of five regional gatherings of Propel Ohio, a leadership program promoting civic engagement and inspiring undergraduate students to grow into civic leaders in the state of Ohio. Attendees include 果冻传媒 students, faculty and staff, Springfield community partner agency representatives and students, and faculty and administrators from area colleges and universities, including Clark State Community College, Sinclair Community College, Edison State Community College, Wright State University, and Antioch College.
Providing opening remarks at the event will be Geoff Daniels, regional representative for Southwest Ohio, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown鈥檚 Office; Sharon Frandsen, 果冻传媒 University; and Dick Kinsley, executive director, Ohio Campus Compact.
This is the second year 果冻传媒鈥檚 Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Civic and Urban Engagement has hosted a regional gathering in partnership with Ohio Campus Compact and Senator Sherrod Brown.
鈥淚n both 2016 and 2017, 果冻传媒 sent groups of students to the Ohio Propel Gathering as well,鈥� said Stephanie McCuistion, administrative director, Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Civic and Urban Engagement. 鈥淔or this year鈥檚 regional gathering, the Hagen Center is partnering with the Children鈥檚 Defense Fund (CDF). CDF staff and organizers will provide attendees with a re-education of childhood poverty specific to the Southwest Region of Ohio and lead an activity designed to assist college students in attendance to better understand how to move from a concerned citizen to activist in the fight to end childhood poverty.鈥�
果冻传媒 sent 10 students to the Propel Ohio 2017 summit at the University of Akron鈥檚 Quaker Station on Nov. 17, 2017. College students discussed issues that affect childhood poverty, participated in an internship fair and connected with Ohio-based organizations. During this regional gathering, participants will learn specific skills on how to be an active participant in the fight against childhood poverty.
鈥淎ctivist training helps college and university students connect their civic interests and passions with next steps and to move from passive concern to civic action,鈥� McCuistion said. 鈥淭he goal of the regional gathering is to help students better understand childhood poverty in Southwest Ohio, right where the students are. As responsible citizens, what can students do to address this important issue facing nearly every community in our state and nation? Who will they work with to do so? How do they get started? These are the questions we hope to answer.鈥�
The agenda for the regional gathering is as follows:
- 10:30-10:45 a.m. - registration
- 10:45-11 a.m. - opening Remarks
- 11-12 - "A Reeducation of Childhood Poverty," presented by Ashon McKenzie, policy director, Children鈥檚 Defense Fund Ohio
- 12-12:30 p.m. - lunch
- 12:30-1:15 p.m. - "Head, Heart and Feet: Ending Childhood Poverty," presented by Joseph Worthy, Ohio director of youth leadership and organizing and national coordinator of youth training and development, Children鈥檚 Defense Fund Ohio
- 1:15-1:30 p.m. - closing remarks, Dr. Warren Copeland, mayor of Springfield and 果冻传媒 professor
