The college’s primary goal of community engagement is to foster change through collaboration with all individuals, families, communities, and other change agents to build strengths and resolve complex individual and social problems.
Being in the community is part of social work’s mission as well as that of a land grant university. Through working with our settlement houses, providing continuing education, and our faculty and staff volunteering on boards, we have built partnerships with the Columbus community in local government, churches and organizations, schools, recreation programs, food and nutrition, health and wellness, and other agencies.
The college also has a long history of conducting innovative community-engaged scholarship that advances scientific literature and has real and lasting impacts in a wide variety of lived experiences.
We are committed to fulfilling our mission of improving the access to services, health and well-being of the people and institutions of Ohio, the nation, and the world.
Our mission enables us to work with our community organizations and partners to help them build capacity to meet the needs of their clients and all those they serve. Whether by assisting them with grants, finding students for projects, brainstorming ideas, providing help with strategic planning, or hosting meaningful conversations through a World Café, the college is here to help.
But we do so much more. Our advocacy work educates students and the community on voter rights. We recruit new employers for our field placement and career services. And, our team is seeking ways to improve the lives of all our communities. We also actively engage with our more than 18,000 alumni regularly.
Community Engagement Spotlight
- Dr. David Kinitz partnership with Equitas Health and Dr. Michelle Battle-Fisher on a study examining Medicaid and insurance coverage among LGBTQ+ people.
- Dr. Katie Calhoun has a partnership with RISE Together Innovation Institute, conducting a qualitative evaluation of a guaranteed income initiative for single mothers and evaluating a separate cash-based intervention aimed at supporting low-income families.
- Dr. Calhoun is also working with the Community Shelter Board, evaluating a cash-based intervention designed to support families as they exit a family shelter.
- Dr. Michael Broman serves on the Ohio Citizen Advocates for Addiction Recovery board.
- Dr. Holly Dabelko-Schoeny serves on ADAMH Board of Franklin County
- Staff member Katie Justice serves on Central Community House board.
- Staff member Regina Prince serves Gladden Community House board
Community Engagement Staff
Katie Justice, MSW, LISW-S
Associate Director, Community Outreach and Engagement, Career Services and Continuing Education
justice.228@osu.edu
