News — January 15, 2025
Community Connectors: Cynthia Dougherty
January 2025
Community Connectors is a monthly series highlighting Ohio State staff members who have shown leadership in partnering with our communities to make an impact.
Cynthia Valdez Dougherty, PhD, MSW, FNAP
Director of Interprofessional Practice and Education Engagement
Office of Interprofessional Practice and Education
First, let me say, I love this community-engaged work. As a team member in the Office of Interprofessional Practice and Education, I have the opportunity to bring students in health-related programs into the community to engage with community members where they are - in their homes and community spaces. Together, we create teams that allow individuals to learn with, from, and about each other; help community members find resources to meet health and wellness goals and to be better prepared for interactions with healthcare providers; and provide students the opportunity to see that health, wellness, and healthcare happen in homes and in communities - and not just in hospitals and clinics.
Recently, our work has focused on community engagement with older adults. We call them "mentors" because they have so much to teach our students and are often overlooked in society and in health profession education. By asking the older adults to help prepare the students to become better health care professionals, they become very invested, not only in their own health and well-being, but also in the students learning. I love learning from our community members and asking them for input on our programming and how we engage with them and their communities.
Why is engaging the community important to you and your work?
To me, engaging with the community is all about relationship building and human connection; I believe this is of the utmost importance when it comes to health and social service professions. As social workers, we believe it is important to 'meet people where they are', including physically and geographically, where they spend their time and live their lives. It's important to be aware of community-related factors about an individual. We can then better understand and gain knowledge of the opportunities and challenges they face as they attempt to reach their health and wellness goals and better their communities. Our community members have so much to teach our students, and sometimes, in academia, we forget to give them the opportunity to demonstrate their expertise.
As an educator who is interested in the health of individuals and communities, I've seen that sometimes, our systems put so much focus on what is happening inside the walls of our clinics and hospitals that we forget to show our learners that people make decisions about their health and healthcare and have opportunities (and barriers) related to health and wellness based on where they live and the communities in which they live, work and play. I think it's important to share about and show our learners the communities we hope they will be able to impact now and in the future. And finally, here at Ohio State, we're all part of a land-grant university, so community engagement work is inherent in our mission; I take that responsibility to heart.
What lessons have you learned from the community that have helped you as a university staff member?
I've learned so much from multiple communities around Ohio State and particularly from older adults. One of the most important things, though, is how to listen and how to show up for others. Our communities and community members do this so well and model it for me and our learners. Community members took care of each other during the pandemic when, for example, other institutions might have let them down or forgotten about some of them. They listened to each other to learn about real needs and showed up for one another when they were needed most. What I've learned from them translates into my everyday life as a team member and member of the Ohio State community. From my intergenerational community engagement, I've learned about acceptance. When older adults and young children are provided a safe environment to build relationships, I've seen them show genuine curiosity, compassion, and acceptance and definitely have lots of fun!
What has been your favorite moment from your community-engagement work?
My favorite moments are when I get to be a part of an "ah ha!" moment or a great success for a community member or student, specifically because of the relationships they were able to form as a result of our community-engaged programming. We hold celebrations and debriefs regularly in our work, and it's so fun and fulfilling to hear about the learning and success of our teams and individuals. Getting to see the look on someone's face when they share they've met a goal they have been struggling with for years makes me so happy. Or when a student shares an "I never would have known" moment or says, "I wasn't anticipating learning so much from my community mentor." I get to see not only learning moments but stereotypes dissolve on both sides, and I love it when those moments create new hope in people.
What advice do you have for other staff members who are interested in getting involved in community engagement?
Although it can be intimidating, just get out there. If it's a community that's new to you, see if you can find someone to bring you along to an event or meeting, etc., but if not, show up. Be present, be curious, and be yourself. Then, keep showing up. You'll be welcomed when you show a genuine interest in learning about a community and the people who make up that community. Some great advice that I've learned from others who have been doing this work longer than I is to just show up without an ask and to just be willing to listen and learn.