The LeFevre Fellows program is comprised of primarily first-year Honors students who commit to 40 hours of community service throughout the academic year. The teach-in allows them to present their research on local issues like homelessness, addiction, poverty, education, animal welfare and childcare as well as their personal involvement volunteering in the Newark and broader Licking County communities.
“Experiencing such a diverse atmosphere allowed me to connect with each part of my community and become a better citizen,” said Vanessa Bennett, a neuroscience major from Newark. “I learned people’s economic struggles, and I was able to help with the academic journey of the younger generations. I enjoyed presenting my experiences because it brings awareness to the ways people can support Newark. This teach-in can inspire others to participate.”
Only a few of the LeFevre Fellows are Newark natives, meaning many of these students got their first glimpse at the surrounding community by partaking in the program.
“I think it's important for them to understand the sort of micropolitical economy of a place like Newark, Ohio, and also to understand the way that the campus is situated in relation to it,” said David Ruderman, PhD, associate professor of English and LeFevre Fellows program director.
Students spend the autumn semester in the program determining their interests and an approach to the project. They follow through with their 40 hours of community service in the spring, leading up to the teach-in presentations they make to donors, LeFevre Foundation board members and community partners.
The LeFevre Fellows program is funded through an endowment originally established by Howard LeFevre, one of the founding fathers of Ohio State Newark and a well-known community volunteer and philanthropist. In 2023, the LeFevre Foundation Board of Trustees added to the fund to increase the number of student participants each year.
As a part of the fellowship, each student receives a $2,500 scholarship toward their tuition. The program is one example of Ohio State Newark’s efforts toward academic enrichment, which provide students the chance to develop outside the traditional classroom setting.
“The academic enrichment here is being able to plug the kind of stuff they’re getting in this program into their day-to-day lives,” said Ruderman. “Getting them that experience in the community is super important, and it actually helps them academically too. It may help them decide what they want to do in life.”