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 Wittenberg 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 Wittenberg 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’s Office; Sharon Frandsen, Wittenberg University; and Dick Kinsley, executive director, Ohio Campus Compact.
This is the second year Wittenberg’s Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Civic and Urban Engagement has hosted a regional gathering in partnership with Ohio Campus Compact and Senator Sherrod Brown.
“In both 2016 and 2017, Wittenberg sent groups of students to the Ohio Propel Gathering as well,” said Stephanie McCuistion, administrative director, Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Civic and Urban Engagement. “For this year’s regional gathering, the Hagen Center is partnering with the Children’s 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.”
Wittenberg sent 10 students to the Propel Ohio 2017 summit at the University of Akron’s 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.
“Activist training helps college and university students connect their civic interests and passions with next steps and to move from passive concern to civic action,” McCuistion said. “The 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.”
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’s 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’s Defense Fund Ohio
- 1:15-1:30 p.m. - closing remarks, Dr. Warren Copeland, mayor of Springfield and Wittenberg professor
