Action words

English graduate students and mentors pose for a picture outside Ellis Hall

Action words

Through community-based internships, English graduate students gain a deeper sense of place.

Edited by Emma Stevenson BS '27 | June 17, 2025

Inspired by the concept of community-engaged scholarship, a graduate class in OHIO’s Department of English provided students with graduate-level internships with local organizations. During the spring semester, a group of master’s and doctoral students matched with area nonprofits to lend their skills, connecting more deeply with the region as a result.

“ is a well-researched high impact educational practice at the undergraduate level,” said Megan AV Russell, a first-year Ph.D. student in rhetoric and composition who serves as the graduate internship coordinator. “I am so excited that my work now includes making community engagement an intentional part of graduate education while also materially helping the organizations making Athens a stronger more vibrant community.”

Read on for reflections from the students who participated in the internship class.

Ashley Allen

Photo credit: Emma Stevenson

First-year master’s student in rhetoric and composition

Intern at the (ACPL)

“I thought that I would be focusing more on promoting events and programs and trying to get people to the library. I didn’t realize I would be doing something so extraordinarily important as helping show government officials what libraries mean to the everyday patron. Capturing these stories isn’t just about promotion; it’s about preservation. It’s about honoring the everyday voices that too often go unheard; proof that libraries are more than buildings. The people who nicknamed the library in Chauncey as “the community’s living room;” who get free tax aid done in Coolville; who gather around to socialize and craft every week without fail in Wells—they are not just patrons. They are the heart of these small towns. And their stories remind us that libraries are not a single line on a budget. They are places where people come to feel safe, to be seen, to connect.”

Lauren Fitch

Photo credit: Emma Stevenson

First-year master’s student in literary history

Intern at

“During Spring 2025, I interned with HAPCAP to support the Sunset Shelter Project—an effort to convert the former Sunset Motel on Columbus Road into an emergency shelter for unhoused individuals and families in Athens County. The project is well underway, with cleanup events and partnerships with local businesses helping move renovations forward. My role focused on research, including connecting with shelters across the country to learn best practices, and developing outreach materials to build local awareness. This experience deepened my understanding of what it means to engage meaningfully with the Athens community, and I’m excited to see how the project unfolds from here.”

Peter Haverland

Photo credit: Emma Stevenson

Second-year master’s student in rhetoric and composition

Intern at

“My internship with ACF has allowed me to work closely with their staff and help fulfill their non-profit mission. The project I’ve been writing about is called Co-Create, a participatory change-making model. It’s different than traditional decision-making processes in that it is more collaborative and encourages more active participation from all members. I have helped craft handbooks that will introduce people to the objective, history, and reasoning for this new plan for the county. ��Ƶ and its students are often isolated from the issues and concerns of the region. For me, this experience helped bridge the gap between just being a student at ��Ƶ and being a real community member of Athens County. This internship allowed me to use skills cultivated in the classroom and apply them to organizations providing real support to people, organizations, and businesses in our community.”

Morgan Henderson

Photo credit: Emma Stevenson

First-year Ph.D. student in creative writing

Intern at the

“This internship gave me the rare chance to unite two of my deepest passions: writing and the natural world. My internship was with ORCA, a council of governments working to expand outdoor recreation and support sustainable, equitable development in Appalachian Ohio. My work focused on writing stories about the Baileys Trail System—a growing network of mountain biking trails within Wayne National Forest that ORCA manages. To wrap up the semester, I planned and led a nature writing workshop in collaboration with Solid Ground School. Facilitating that space—watching people engage with the land and their own words—was deeply enriching and taught me a lot about adaptability, education, and leadership. This internship has reminded me of the power of storytelling. As I share the stories of the people and places I encounter, I’m not just writing, I’m contributing to a movement that celebrates the beauty and potential of Appalachia.”

Sabrina Lacy

Photo credit: Emma Stevenson

First-year master’s student in creative writing

Intern at

“During my internship at Arts West, I had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects. I created promotional material for events that Arts West hosted, allowing me to think about how to make advertisements more persuasive for a variety of audiences. I designed and hosted my own event through Arts West – a creative writing workshop that focused on responding to prompts centered around Athens. Finally, I developed a summer creative course for various age groups to attend. Since my focus in graduate school is creative writing, I enjoyed the opportunity to translate the process of how to approach writing for others who may not have experience with it. This internship has given me experiences and skills that will help me succeed with my educational and career goals moving forward.”