Voinovich School celebrates arrival of new scholars and graduate students

Students studying Environmental Studies sit and stand together for a group photo

The Environmental Studies students are shown at the Welcome Reception.

51��’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service hosted its annual welcome reception on Sept. 4, greeting Undergraduate Research Scholars and students from the MPA and Environmental Studies programs with a warm sense of community and purpose.

The event opened with remarks from 51�� Executive Vice President and Provost Donald J. Leo, who noted the school's commitment to impactful, community-based work and emphasized the vital role students will play in shaping the region.

“I’ve been tremendously impressed with the work that’s going on at the Voinovich School,” Leo said. “The work they do across the state, and the impact they have on communities in Southeast Ohio has a tremendous impact, and our students are going to have the opportunity to see that firsthand.”

Among those students is Samantha Holdaway, a first-year M.S. in Environmental Studies student passionate about tackling environmental issues through interdisciplinary research. Her focus on wetland nutrient cycling and pollution reduction is rooted in a desire to make a tangible difference through science and policy.

“I think the faculty at the Voinovich School challenge us to go outside of the disciplines we feel most comfortable with to expand the work we can do,” Holdaway said. “By doing that, it changes our perspective on research and that’s what I think makes the Voinovich School so unique and why I chose to pursue my master’s here.”

Students in the MPA program sit and stand together for a group photo — The MPA students are shown at the Welcome Reception.

Magda Sutherland, a first-year MPA student, echoed that sense of excitement and purpose. She is particularly interested in exploring economic development from the lens of Generation Z and Generation Alpha priorities and said the school’s environment has already made her feel like an active part of something bigger.

“I think the Voinovich School is unique because they have created themselves as a pillar in the Southeastern Ohio community,” Sutherland said. “It’s really exciting to be a part of something so impactful like the Voinovich School, and on top of that, there are so many different ways for me to get hands-on experience in a variety of areas.”

The Undergraduate Research Scholars are shown together in a group photo — The Undergraduate Research Scholars are shown at the Welcome Reception.

Mary McEwen, a second-year Undergraduate Research Scholar, has already experienced the power of that hands-on involvement. Working on the economic development team, she’s currently contributing to a sustainable aviation project and helping develop a grant proposal for the Appalachian Regional Commission, one of many opportunities that brought her back for another year.

“I’m really excited for the projects I’m going to be able to work on this year with the Voinovich School,” McEwen said. “I love seeing the progress that my team makes throughout the year, and now I’m starting to help create a grant proposal, which is another opportunity to expand my skill set this year.”

As the school year begins, the welcome reception served as both an introduction and a reminder: the Voinovich School is more than an academic program, it’s a launchpad for students to become changemakers across Southeast Ohio and beyond.