Preparing Our Educators

Diversity Committee Presents Soup and Substance Panel, Discusses Services Available to Students

Graduate student Cierra Waller speaks during the Soup and Substance panel discussion.

ATHENS, Ohio (November 9, 2011) — Faculty, staff and students filled a McCracken classroom on Wednesday, November 9, 2011, for the Diversity Committee’s Soup and Substance panel, a discussion regarding the effective support services for urban and Appalachian students.

The panel included Cecil Walters, the director of the Office of Multicultural Student Access and Retention; Cierra Waller, a graduate student studying Sociology and a past Urban Scholar; Megan Cutright, a senior studying Integrated Mathematics Education and a teacher in the CARE Program at Federal Hocking High School; and Dr. Frans Doppen, an associate professor in the Department of Teacher Education at the Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education.

Each panelist had a chance to first speak about their experiences with the support and growth of urban and Appalachian students and later engaged the audience in a dialogue about their subject.

Among the topics discussed were different types of scholarships offered to high school students as an incentive to continue higher education in Southeast Ohio and how to remain supportive of these students throughout their four years, such as: the Templeton Scholarship, the Appalachian Scholarship, and the newly created Rankin Scholarship. All recipients are assigned a peer advisor, participate in community service, and fulfill other requirements to keep their award.

Another topic was the Rural Urban Collaborative, a program designed to allow suburban students the experience of the urban classroom setting. This year, all sophomores in Teacher Education are required to have an urban experience, meaning 130 students are placed in inner city Columbus schools for 4 days.

Although the topics were diverse, the students who benefited from these programs made their appreciation known.

“This has been a life-altering experience,” said Cierra Waller. “And I owe it to my support system.”

The panelists cited family and peer advisors as strong motivators needed to continue their journey at Ohio University. Both Cierra and Megan Cutright, the first to go to college in their families, now encourage their younger siblings to get better grades so they too can succeed during their college careers.

When asked about how lucky she felt to be given this opportunity, Cierra smiled and replied, “I don’t look at it as being lucky, but being blessed.”

A Senior Megan Cutright, and Dr. Frans Doppen, an associate professor of Teacher Education participate in the Soup and Substance panel discussion.

Story and photos by Kelsey Grau.