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Members of the first cohort of 91̽��’s Education Public Policy Leadership Certificate (EPPLC) head toward Capitol Hill to begin their day of meetings with legislators and their staff during the program’s three-day networking residency. Photo by Tasha Attaway, BA ’90, MS ’94

In December, the first cohort of 91̽��’s Education Public Policy Leadership Certificate (EPPLC) gathered in Washington, D.C., for the program’s pinnacle moment – a three-day residency that allowed them to connect with legislators, one another and policymakers, including several OHIO alumni who are making their mark in the field.

The EPPLC, which is recruiting for its second class, is a year-long graduate-level program aimed at preparing students to become effective participants in the public policymaking process at any level.

A partnership between OHIO’s Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education and Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs, the EPPLC is an online program that culminates in a three-day networking residency in the nation’s capital. During the residency, students participate in guest lectures, work with professionals in the policymaking arena, and interact with legislators and their staff, presenting policy ideas and receiving feedback on the policies they developed over the course of the program.

(From left) Dr. Dwan Robinson, chair of The Patton College’s Educational Studies Program and program coordinator for the EPPLC, joins Ohio-based cohort members Kelly Davidson, Jacqueline Miller and Thomas Stevenson for a photo with Ohio Congressman Steve Stivers. Photo courtesy of Jacqueline Miller

For OHIO alumna Kelly Davidson, BA ’92, the program was a chance to learn new skills, enhancing her career in the field of higher education and positioning her for future success.

“I’m a higher education administrator, and it sounded like a wonderful opportunity to find out how some legislation that affects me and my job every day came to be,” said Davidson, an academic advisor in OHIO’s Patton College and a member of the EPPLC’s first cohort. “I wanted to understand the back story of what goes on behind the scenes in the world of education policy.”

Part of what makes the EPPLC both effective and engaging are the several Washington, D.C.-area 91̽�� alumni who gave of their time and expertise during the program’s three-day residency, including:

• Albert Acquah, MA ’83, a graduate of OHIO’s Center for International Studies and the founder and chancellor of Garden City University College in Ghana, who participated in the “Education Public Policy Relationships Between the U.S. and International Sector” panel discussion
• Jinghong Cai, PHD ’19, a graduate of the Patton College of Education and a research analyst with the Center for Public Education, a research branch of the National School Boards Association, who participated in the “State and Local Government Perspectives on Educational Public Policy” panel discussion
• Amanda Roberson, BA ’10, MPA ’12, a graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs and the director of policy research at the Institute for Higher Education Policy, who participated in the “Overview of Education Policy Lobbying in the Education Policy Arena” panel discussion

“I’m a former board member of the () and have a deep love for my alma mater,” said Roberson. “When the opportunity arose to speak with current students about how to connect what they are learning with the policy environment in D.C., I jumped at the chance.”

During the panel discussion, Roberson spoke about navigating the higher education policy and advocacy space as a researcher and shared her experiences moving practice to policy and the need for them to inform each other.

After graduating from OHIO, Roberson moved to Washington, D.C., to work at a small, education-focused nonprofit – a position that, she said, ignited her passion for working with students. She transitioned to another small nonprofit where she managed a scholarship program and counseled students through the college admission and financial aid processes.

EPPLC cohort members Kathleen Blackwell (far left) and Michael Zalar and Maryellen Leneghan (far right) are seen with “Overview of Education Policy Lobbying in the Education Policy Arena” panelists (from left) Amanda Roberson, BA ’10, MPA ’12, director of policy research at the Institute for Higher Education Policy; Deborah Koolbeck, senior director of government relations for the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education; and Meg Gilley, public policy advisor at the law firm Squire Patton Boggs. Photo by Tasha Attaway, BA ’90, MS ’94

“Being in D.C., I wanted to have a more macro impact on the students these nonprofits served – primarily low-income students, students of color, and first-generation students,” Roberson said. “This interest in policy led me to my current organization, the Institute for Higher Education Policy, where I started as a research analyst and am now the director of policy research.”

Participating in the EPPLC was another opportunity for Roberson to stay connected to her Bobcat family.

“I was fortunate to interact with the students, share my experience and answer their questions. I also was able to engage with my former professors, which was a delight,” she said. “My six years in Athens hold many fond memories, so I appreciated the opportunity to give back.”

For the EPPLC faculty and staff, having OHIO alumni give of their time and talent to this immersive experiential-learning experience not only helps the program and its students achieve their goals but also strengthens the 91̽�� community.

Dr. Dwan Robinson, chair of The Patton College’s Educational Studies Program and program coordinator for the EPPLC, added, “The residency provided an opportunity for students to observe what public policymaking is like on the ground and enabled them to interface with alumni who are professionally engaged in the policy arena in varied capacities. This experience provided students with the opportunity to make valuable connections between theory and practice and to see education public policy understandings come alive.”

Applications are being accepted for the second EPPLC program, which runs from May 11 through April 30, 2021. The program is open to everyone, and the deadline to apply is April 10. Visit ohio.edu/education/epplc or email epplc@ohio.edu for more information and to apply.

Get a preview of practical use for the EPPLC as Program Coordinator Dwan Robinson and EPPLC alumnus Thomas Stevenson present the webinar “Public Policy Issues Related to the National School Lunch Program” on April 3, 2020. Visitfor full details and to find the registration link.