Robert J. O’Leary SPARK Series

Join the College of Social Work for an interdisciplinary conversation about strengthening community engaged research practices with guest speaker, Dr. DaVonti’ DeAngelo Haynes, Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at Temple University and Managing Associate at Community Science. Dr. Haynes will discuss his research on the complex dynamics contributing to experiences of disconnection among young people aged 14 to 26 and his efforts to create sustainable youth and community development programs and policies.

Panelists Dr. Jason Reece, OSU Vice Provost for Urban Research and Community Engagement and Associate Professor of City & Regional Planning; Dr. Njeri Kagotho, Associate Professor, OSU College of Social Work; and Dr. Julie Fox, Director of OSU Extension Strategic Initiatives and Urban Engagement and Associate Professor, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences will be invited to share their experiences and lessons learned from engaging communities in research with real world impact.

A reception with refreshments will immediately follow the panel.

Join in-person at the Fawcett Center or virtual.
Please register in advance whether in person or virtual.

Speaker & Panelists

Dr. DaVonti’ DeAngelo Haynes, MSW ’18, is a four-time Ohio State graduate, Assistant Professor in Temple University’s School of Social Work, and Managing Associate at Community Science. His research focuses on educational and workforce justice, exploring college access, workforce development, and youth programs in urban and rural communities. He is passionate about mentoring, student success, and fostering community engagement across the lifespan.

Dr. Jason Reece is an associate professor of city and regional planning at the Knowlton School and Vice Provost for Urban Research & Community Engagement in the Office of Academic Affairs. His research seeks to understand the role of planning in fostering a built and social environment which supports a just city and healthy communities. In his role as Vice Provost, he focuses on building support systems and relationships to support community engaged scholarship with local communities in Ohio.

Dr. Njeri Kagotho is a social worker and Associate Professor in the College of Social Work. Her scholarship examines the role formal and informal institutions play in the health and economic functioning of at-risk and minoritized individuals. Dr. Kagotho is an educator-activist who embraces critical pedagogy to prepare students for radical social change.

Dr. Julie Fox serves as OSU Extension’s director of strategic initiatives and urban engagement within Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), She holds a Ph.D. in human and community resource development and an M.B.A. in global management. Her background includes working in Africa, Asia, Australia, and Europe. This is an inaugural event of the SPARK series which seeks to build community and advance social work research.’

SAVE THE DATE: UPCOMING SPARK SERIES EVENTS

February 17, 2025: 1 p.m., Speaker and Location TBA
Join us for the CSW Soul Food Luncheon & Black History Month.

March 24, 2025: 11:30 a.m. Stillman 100, Steve David, CSW advocacy director, and CSW faculty and students
Celebrate Social Work Month with lunch and a panel discussion on advocacy following the recent DC Fly-In.