Where Are They Now?
Since the reinstitution of Ohio Fellows in 2013, 54 Fellows have graduated, moving on to new adventures. Those who graduated between 2013 and 2020 are spreading the spirit of Ohio Fellows from Europe to California. The table below shows where Ohio Fellows have landed. Included in this list are Dontevion Brown (2019) who is studying Bioarchaeology at University of Exeter, Zak Blumer (2018) who is a drummer for CLUBHOUSE, and Danielle Feist (2017), who is a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, along with 2021 graduates Adele Bergmeier and Liv Halter who are both enrolled in Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. We are proud of the many accomplishments of all Ohio Fellows and grateful for the support they provide each other, and the opportunities provided by a program with such an admirable legacy.
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Ohio Fellows Talk about Difficult Conversations
By Isa Thomas and AJ Rausch
Before our first Ohio Fellows meeting this fall, we were asked to answer a question: What do you think is an important topic in our society that needs to be discussed today?
There were a variety of answers, all of which hold great weight in our world. But there was one thing listed, among them all, that every person agreed on: the polarization of our country. It raised the question as to where that polarization came from—what fuels it, and why does it seem worse now than it did then?
Politics are one of the primary divisions of our country today. The United States’ political system is not limited to two parties, but it often feels like and is regarded as if it is. Everyone is made to fit under one of two labels—contributing to extreme polarization.
We live in a world where nobody wants to hurt each other's feelings, and nobody wants to deal with the tough conversations. Our focus on difficult conversations started last spring with Ohio Fellow Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath, an OHIO alumna, and continued this fall with Dr. Adar Cohen, Ohio University professors Dr. Laura Black and Dr. Roger Aden, and Athens Area Mediation Service Director Jim Sands, and Coordinator of Mediations DeeDee Dransfield. With their collective guidance, we learned about and increased our skills in conflict management and participating in difficult conversations,
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Dr. Young-Eisendrath Shares Knowledge with Ohio Fellows By Madison Schroer
Dr. Polly Young-Eisendrath is Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Vermont and the author, co-author, or editor of eighteen books psychology-related topics. The founder and director of the Institute for Dialogue Therapy, Dr. Young-Eisendrath graduated from Ohio University in 1970 and was a member of the Ohio Fellows program at OHIO. The current Ohio Fellows had the privilege to meet with Dr. Young-Eisendrath to discuss the importance of lowering threat levels in conflict and stepping back from polarization.
Dr. Young-Eisendrath believes that we can discover important truths through the dialogue that comes along with debating our views. She emphasizes that the three most significant things that must happen for individuals to engage in real dialogue are: individuals have to speak for themselves instead of making “you” statements; individuals must listen mindfully before replying to another individual; and individuals need to remain curious and keep an open mind so that they can have information from both sides. Keeping these things in mind will help people to find resolutions when conflicts arise.
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Lean into ConflictBy Jacqueline Branch and Madison Schroer
The Ohio Fellows had the privilege to meet author Dr. Adar Cohen, who just released a book titled "Jimmie Lee and James: Two Lives, Two Deaths, and the Movement that Changed America." Dr. Cohen has experience with bringing people together to resolve conflict by finding better ways to communicate and discuss solutions. He co-founded the Civic Leadership Foundation which helps set young people up for success in many areas of their lives.
Dr. Cohen shared interesting stories about his experience in dealing with conflict. He has worked with many different people, from gang members to CEOs. Though he has worked with very diverse groups of people, he stated that people on both sides of a conflict often possess many similarities.
He emphasized to us that it is important to listen and to put your bias aside when listening to others. He has learned that it is important to step back and try to be genuinely curious about why the person you are discussing things with holds the opinions that they do instead of being close-minded and wanting to stick to your beliefs.
He was also asked about his thoughts on the current “cancel culture,” which deals with well-known people getting “canceled” for actions they did in the past and present. He responded that he thought they may be given an “easy way out” because they avoid addressing the issue and giving a formal address (or public apology) . Dr. Cohen stressed that in some cases, it may be appropriate to “cancel” someone.
Dr. Cohen is an experienced professional who knows how to captivate his audience while teaching valuable lessons. He is knowledgeable when it comes to teaching others how to have difficult conversations, and we encourage others to look at his work so that they can put his advice to use in their everyday lives.
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Be CouriousBy Kayla Bennett and Sadler Henson
Dr. Laura W. Black is a professor in Ohio University’s School of Communication Studies. She holds a Ph.D. in communication from the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Philosophy from Miami University. Her current work pertains to communication in democracy and community.
Dr. Black uses qualitative and discourse-based methods to teach students how to converse with others who have opposing views. Dr. Black facilitated a lively discussion as she shared fundamentals of conversations—listen and learn. To successfully have a conversation, the Fellows were taught it was vital to listen and for both parties to have time for uninterrupted speech. Once one party is done talking, it’s always important to paraphrase what was said to show understanding.
Conversations reveal differences of opinion. Dr. Black encouraged us to be curious and to ask open-ended questions to avoid misunderstanding. If a conversation is going nowhere or feeling fruitless, it is best to walk away and give time and space to reflect and process the discontent. Dr. Black’s presentation encouraged the Fellows to think about how their everyday conversations can be improved.
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Exploring Public Memory and Removal of Confederate Monuments
By Carlee Allen and Zoie Lambert
Dr. Roger Aden, professor of Communication Studies at Ohio University facilitated our discussion on the removal of Confederate monuments. Dr. Aden, who who specializes in rhetoric, place and space, and public memory, discussed public memory as it pertains to Confederate statues and public deliberations on decisions to keep, remove, or edit the monuments. To prepare for this discussion we read “Keep Confederate Monuments on North Carolina Capitol Grounds” (Bonner, 2018) and “Why Removing the Jefferson Davis Statue Is a Big Mistake" (Martinich & Palaima, 2015). We learned about the history of these statues and the role public memory plays in the decisions made pertaining to these statues.
In our discussion, Dr. Aden shared that there are five potential responses to addressing unfavorable monuments: defacement, replacement, supplement, edit, and relocate. He also stated that a central question regarding this topic is “Who is responsible for executing one of these options?” We all decided that it was a huge undertaking, and we did not know who would take this responsibility. Would it be the victim or oppressor? Could we rely on the north’s or south’s interpretation of the event?
A takeaway is that such decision to change a monument is complicated and that any response should be a starting point for conversations. This was a difficult conversation, but it was a start. We were grateful that Dr. Aden gave us tools and resources to learn about history and effectively discuss it.
Dr. Aden focused on public memory in his last three books. He will continue to open the door to difficult conversations, and we follow in his footsteps.
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Mediation and Conflict Resolution
Our final seminar addressing difficult conversations resulted in direct application guided by expertise shared by members of the Athens Area Mediation Service (AAMS), Director Jim Sands and Coordinator of Mediation DeeDee Dransfield. AAMS is a 501 (C) 3 organization that provides area residents with cooperative approaches to dispute resolution and reconciliations. Jim and DeeDee introduced the history of the organization, processes of intake, and how to mediate disputes disrupting the lives of neighbors, families, organizations, and citizens. Serving Athens and the broader southeast Ohio region, AAMS has helped hundreds of citizens resolve disputes with cost efficiency and dignity.
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Connect via the Bobcat NetworkReady to connect with old friends, or make new connections? Join The Bobcat Network – your easy-to-use online home for our Ohio University community.
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Engage with OHIO Fellows!To explore giving or engagement opportunities, please contact Tori Marshall at farmert1@ohio.edu or 614-793-5674.
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Thanks for your continued support and engagement with OHIO Fellows!
Jerry Miller
OHIO Fellows
Faculty Mentor
Professor & Associate Director for Undergraduate Studies
School of Communication Studies
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