2026 University Outreach and Engagement Awards
Ohio State's University Outreach and Engagement Awards honor faculty, staff and students for outstanding achievement in producing engaged scholarship and community impact. Congratulations to this year's recipients!
Community Engaged Scholar Awards
The Community Engaged Scholar Award recognizes faculty members who have demonstrated co-created engaged scholarship that has positively impacted communities. Community Engaged Scholars have made significant contribution to Ohio State's culture of engagement, further establishing and strengthening the institution's commitment to communities.
Pre-Tenure:
- Cynthia Canan, Assistant Professor, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences/Extension
- Alfonso Cervera, Assistant Professor, College of Arts and Sciences/Dance
- Jacqueline Nolting, Assistant Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine
- Tasha Perdue, Assistant Professor, John Glenn College of Public Affairs
- Alexis Villacis, Assistant Professor, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences/Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics
Post-Tenure:
- Shoshanah Inwood, Associate Professor, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences/ School of Environment and Natural Resources
- Michelle Kaiser, Associate Professor, College of Social Work
- Yasuyuki Motoyama, Associate Professor, College of Engineering/Knowlton School
- Rachel Skaggs, Associate Professor, College of Arts and Sciences/Arts Administration, Education and Policy
- Jacqueline Wilkins, Professor, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences/Extension
Community Engaged Practitioner Awards
The Community Engaged Practitioner Award recognizes staff members who have demonstrated superior commitment to developing, coordinating and/or sustaining projects, activities or initiatives involving Ohio State and community partners that enhance engaged scholarship and community impacts.
- Loletia Davis, Clinical Nurse Specialist, James Cancer Hospital
- Kristen Eisenhauer, Extension Educator, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences/Extension
- Carrie Elvey, Community Outreach Specialist, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences/Entomology
- Coralynn McLurg, Clinic Manager, Dental H.O.M.E. Coach, College of Dentistry
- Hannah Miller, Project Manager, Drug Enforcement Policy Center, Moritz College of Law
- Marissa Sheldon, Director, Age-Friendly Innovation Center, College of Social Work
Community Engaged Graduate Student Award
The Community Engaged Graduate Student Award recognizes graduate students who have demonstrated engaged scholarship that has positively impacted communities through their research, scholarship and service.
- Chelsea Bray, College of Medicine
- Iyana Hill, College of Arts and Sciences
- Michelle Pham, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
- Brandon Rothrock, College of Arts and Sciences
- Madison Von Deylen, College of Arts and Sciences
2026 Programs of Excellence in Engaged Scholarship
To support and promote high-impact engaged scholarship, the Office of Outreach and Engagement has instituted a process to certify programs of excellence in engaged scholarship. The certification process seeks to annually identify and certify projects that demonstrate excellence in community-engaged scholarship and meet the criteria of high-impact engaged scholarship.
- Generation RX, College of Pharmacy
- Ghost Neighborhoods of Columbus, College of Arts and Sciences
- Shakespeare and Autism Project, College of Arts and Sciences
- A DAY in the WOODS, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
- Advancing Wellness through Innovative Senior Center Models, College of Education and Human Ecology
- AI-Integrated STEAM Microschooling Initiative: Building Ethical, Culturally Responsive Classrooms Through Teacher Partnerships, College of Education and Human Ecology
- Buckle Up With Brutus, College of Medicine
- Building the Virtual Japan Experience: Enhancing Knowledge about Japan, East Asian Studies Center
- Center for Design in Manufacturing Excellence, College of Engineering
- Coach Beyond, College of Social Work and Department of Athletics
- Columbus INSIGHT, College of Public Health
- Dayton Deliberates, College of Arts and Sciences
- eFields On-Farm Research Program, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
- ePLUS (Produce, Landscape, Urban, and Specialty crops), College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
- Hospital Liaison to Community Services to Identify and Prevent Elder Mistreatment, College of Medicine
- Mid-Ohio Farmacy, College of Medicine
- Mosaic Brazil: Career Development and Community Impact, Office of International Affairs
- Next Chapter Book Club, Nisonger Center
- Off-Campus Housing Network, Office of Student Life
- Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative (OBCI), College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
- Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist Program, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
- Ohio Clean Marinas Program, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
- On Board(hers), College of Arts and Sciences
- Opportunity Port, Moritz College of Law
- OSU Newark SciDome Planetarium Internship Program, College of Arts and Sciences/Ohio State Newark
- Ottawa County Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) Program, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
- Philosophy for Humans (P4H) Learning Community, College of Arts and Sciences
- SHIELDS Initiative, College of Medicine
- Students in Life Sciences Abroad, College of Arts and Sciences
- The JusticeTech Program, Moritz College of Law
- The OHIO (Oral Health Improvement by Outreach) Project, College of Dentistry
- The Ohio Woodland Stewards Program, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
- Visualizing the Underground Railroad: Animating History through Architecture and Archives, College of Engineering