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Outreach and Engagement Awards

Connecting Rural Ohio: The Role of Technology in Rural Community Transformation

Ohio State Partners: Office of the Chief Information Officer; College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, OSU Extension; Ohio Supercomputer Center
Community Partners: American Distance Education Consortium, Governor’s Office of Appalachia, University of Rio Grande, Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, Ohio Learning Network, Gallia County Local Schools, MindLeaders, Microsoft Corporation
Links: CRO website; streaming video of Village of Vinton WiFi installation

Since 2003, The Ohio State University Office of the Chief Information Officer has served as the lead institution to extend broadband Internet access to geographically remote and underserved Ohio Appalachian communities through satellite-based Internet “last mile” wired and wireless solutions. Key objectives of this collaborative initiative include closing the digital divide between rural and urban communities, creating community computing and learning centers with PCs and printers, providing community WiFi, and assisting the local business with e-commerce initiatives. The Connecting Rural Ohio (CRO) initiative builds upon the rich traditions and mission of the land-grant universities as transformational institutions. Ohio State has engaged these communities by building high-tech network infrastructures that deliver a full range of programs and services broadening the access to distance learning opportunities. The community wireless network infrastructure delivers needed job training and employment skills that businesses are demanding in a global market. Additionally, this initiative enhances the quality of community life through interinstitutional and public and private partnerships so that resources are used in the most effective and efficient ways possible. CRO helps close the rural divide that previously existed in communities through this “rural datafication” program. Among the participating partnerships in the broad-based collaboration are the Ohio State University Extension, Ohio Supercomputer Center, American Distance Education Consortium, Governor’s Office of Appalachia, University of Rio Grande, Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, Ohio Learning Network, Gallia County Local Schools, MindLeaders, and Microsoft Corporation. The Office of the CIO has donated the time of its professional staff to run this project and to design, install, and remotely monitor these community networks. The equipment has been paid for with grants and donations, and the local community pays only for the external Internet connectivity, often at a special discounted rate. Connecting Rural Ohio has received considerable media attention both nationally and locally:

• “Switch Board in the Sky,” New York Times, May 3, 2006
• “No more life in Internet slow lane for rural town,” Columbus Dispatch, June 16, 2006
• “On-ramp to opportunity: Bringing high-speed Internet to isolated communities is a worthwhile public investment,” Columbus Dispatch editorial, June 24, 2005

In addition, because of the uniqueness of the university outreach initiative, the CIO team was invited before the Federal Communications Commission’s Policy and Strategic Planning Committee to present its project. In summary, The Ohio State University is in a leadership role in creating a technology framework for social inclusion to foster development through the effective integration of information and communication technology into underserved Ohio rural communities. This unique university-directed outreach initiative offers a cost-effective solution to rural Ohio communities having no other broadband alternative for last mile connectivity. Most important, the initiative delivers needed educational and workforce development programs to underserved communities and offers the private Internet provider sector with a business model and justification for future investment of services in these communities.

Impact Statements

• A goal is to provide low-cost high-speed Internet connectivity to residents of small towns in Appalachian Ohio. Community wireless networks (for residential and business use) and PC learning centers (for drop-in use in the town hall) have now been installed in four towns throughout southeastern Ohio. Dozens of locations and hundreds of people are now using these systems. For the first time, people in these towns are able to use the internet gold mine of information for all possible purposes.
• A goal is to convince commercial Internet providers to offer service to people in rural communities. They typically do not do so, as they believe there is no market for doing so. Our project has developed the markets in these small towns, and convinced the commercial vendors to begin offering their services. In three of the four towns where we have provided service, the telcos have begun to provide their own service. In one town, they took over the entire community, so we declared victory and moved on. The other two towns are now in a transition phase, deciding to convert all or none, or partially. In some cases, we may decide to use the commercial telcos ourselves, to provide the external backbone connection to the town, instead of the satellite connection. That will provide lower cost and better performance. In any case we do not wish to compete with the commercial telcos, but rather to promote their markets and partner with them.

The Ohio State University Endeavor Center

Ohio State Partners: College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center
Community Partners: Community Partners: Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture; Ohio Department of Development, Southern Ohio Diversification Initiative, Southern Ohio Agriculture & Community Development Foundation
Links: Endeavor Center website

The Ohio State University Endeavor Center is a vibrant example of great accomplishment through public-private partnerships in southern Ohio’s Appalachian counties. With a shared aim to accelerate economic development, many partners collaborated to plan, fund, construct, and operate the Endeavor Center, a mixed-use business incubator and training center. The facility, constructed in 2005, provides 26,000 square feet of training, office, transitional, and light industrial space at OSU South Centers, Piketon, Ohio. The three-pronged mission of the Endeavor Center is to foster the start and growth of new and emerging businesses; to provide much needed work force training and meeting space in the region; and to lead by example in operating a financially sustainable enterprise. The Endeavor Center presents a case for successful University outreach and engagement with local and regional community partners. The feasibility study, planning, and funding were accomplished with input and commitment of public entities and business leaders throughout the region. Specific partnerships in three areas highlight the breadth and depth of the collaboration: funding portfolio, institutional support for guiding operations, and partnerships with private businesses. Funding partnerships provided over $4 million to design, construct, and equip the facility. Federal partners included the U.S. Economic Development Administration and USDA Rural Development. State funding was provided by Ohio State’s capital budget and the Ohio Governor’s Office of Appalachia. Regional and local support came from the Southern Ohio Diversification Initiative and Southern Ohio Agricultural and Community Development Foundation. As the facility took shape, an operational council was formed to develop and support the mission, vision, and operating policies for the project. The Council is composed of local leaders in education, community and business. Representatives include County Commissioners, Shawnee State University’s President, the Director of Oak Hill Banks C.D.C., the Governor’s Regional Representative, the Pike County Career and Technology Center Superintendent, the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission Director, and six local business owners. Meetings are scheduled bimonthly and via conference call at other times. Council input guides all aspects of operating the facility. The Endeavor Center’s outreach and engagement has great depth with its business partners, tenants within the center, and across the region’s wider business and entrepreneur community. Today the center is 100% occupied, housing more than 20 different businesses as our most important set of partners. The businesses are engaged in a wide array of business activities including engineering services specializing in the reclamation of nuclear contaminated sites, an orthodontist specializing in serving the needs of children covered by Medicaid insurance, a filming/movie production entrepreneur, and a technology company developing exciting new social networking software. In 2009 over 6,000 persons visited the Endeavor Center to attend more than 300 business training workshops, seminars and community meetings.

Impact Statements

• The Ohio State University Endeavor Center has assisted small businesses in the local community by providing access to skilled business counseling, flexible office space, advanced technology and networking with other successful, growing companies. To date, the business partners of the Endeavor Center have created over 190 new, high-skill, high-tech, high-wage jobs. These positions have added over $8 million of economic vitality to the local economy.
• The Ohio State University Endeavor Center has assisted small businesses in the local community in successfully managing rapid growth. Two business partners of the center have been listed by Inc., Magazine as being in the top 200 fastest growing privately held companies in the United States.
• Over 6,000 visitors attended business workshops, seminars and training sessions held at The Ohio State University Endeavor Center in 2008. Topics ranging from the 3 M's of business; money, marketing and management, to utilizing technology to grow a business, to developing environmentally friendly alternative energy solutions were hosted at the facility.

Veterinary Partnership with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections

Ohio State Partners: College of Veterinary Medicine; College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Community Partner: Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections

The College of Veterinary Medicine provides veterinary support to the 10 dairy, beef, and swine farms operated by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (ODRC). These self-sustaining facilities provide pork, beef, and milk to the more than 51,000 inmates currently housed in the Ohio prison system. Terry Collins, director of the ODRC, calls the program a benchmark for the entire country, demonstrating effective cooperation between state agencies that benefits both agencies as well as state taxpayers by conserving resources. Students in the College of Veterinary Medicine also benefit through the experience of providing services to the prison farms; and even the inmates benefit by learning skills obtained by holding jobs on the farms and at the meat processing facilities. Faculty members are able to conduct research because they are working with a “closed system,” controlling the animal population from conception to production. Visitors from across the United States and around the world have visited the facilities to observe the facilities. The programs have spawned additional outreach opportunities benefitting a range of communities and public programs. For example, in Mansfield, Ohio the third weekend in September is now “Field Day.” Community members are invited to see how the farm works; vendors demonstrate new equipment. Area farmers attend the event to learn from vendors and from members of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences who share research benefitting local agriculture. Local 4-H students have shown some of the animals from the farm at the Ohio State Fair. In Marysville, the local farm manager has helped area 4-H students by purchasing auction animals at their Union County Fair. It benefits the prison by providing quality meat at below market prices, and benefits the students who are able to get an above average price for their animals, since many larger producers will not bid on such a small number of available cattle. Another program that is a direct spin-off is a training program for Pilot Dogs, which are trained as guide dogs. Senior veterinary students and a faculty member teach inmates how to care for and train the dogs, and the inmates are responsible for the dogs. These are just a few examples of the significant statewide impact of this 65-year-old program.

Sustainable Practices for Food Service Systems

Ohio State Partners: Campus Dining Services, Office of Student Life; College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences
Community Partner: Ohio Proud

Successful sustainable practices in university food systems require a multifaceted approach. Specifically, creation of product, distribution, service—a menu created around local products and how menus are served—refuse, renewability, and reduction underscores Campus Dining Services’ sustainability practices. Multiple significant procedural changes are undertaken by Campus Dining Services (CDS) to promote these five facets. In creating product we engage in dialogue with local farming and manufacturing communities to encourage sustainable practices. Daily conversations with numerous growers and manufacturers about product wants, needs and possibilities encourage new thoughts about product design and life cycles. Furthermore, our process of vendor selection uses proximity of vendors to minimize the ecological impact. Choosing local vendors decreases the reliance on fossil fuels and lessens Campus Dining’s emissions. To accomplish this, we bring in local vendors to provide tasting sessions, giving the university community a chance to select the vendors for new menu items. Also, Campus Dining Services requires our numerous local vendors to use reusable plastic containers (RPCs) when delivering their products. By using RPCs, less waste is produced. Campus Dining will consume approximately $4.2 million in Ohio products this year alone. In regard to service, Campus Dining designs rotating, diverse menus with consideration of seasonal products and accommodation of local vendors. These menus provide unique opportunities for the campus community to enjoy a variety of local options and serve to highlight the local agricultural community and manufacturing industry. Our service efforts also include extensive usage of biodegradable products, including cups, plates, cutlery, take-out bags, reusable cloth bags, and trayless service at Traditions Dining. Going trayless conserves water, reduces the use of cleaning chemicals, and decreases food waste. Since going trayless, water and food waste have been reduced by 20%. Retooling our refuse practices has been vital to furthering our sustainability efforts. We have increased the use of our recycling through the use of cardboard balers and compactors. These devices cube waste, freeing up more dock space for recycling. In addition, Campus Dining Services has converted floor cleaners to eco-friendly products. These new cleaning chemicals degrade without leaving poisonous chemicals in the landfills. Ensuring all end products are utilized as efficiently as practical is a focal point of our renewable efforts. Removal and re-usage of fryer grease perpetuates our commitment to renewability by creating an eco-friendly, bio-diesel fuel. Moreover, utilizing centralized cooler condensers reduces the amount of energy needed to regulate the temperature. We will continue to adjust practices to allow for end products to be reintroduced into the sustainable life cycle. Each facet in our sustainability program ensures that outreach comes from our department and that we actively engage our greater community and state regarding crucial sustainability practices. Not only do we rely on multiple, local vendors, but also we challenge the vendors to incorporate Ohio products in their own processes. Our sustainable methods create—and will continue to create—innumerable employment opportunities for the state of Ohio. We welcome the challenge of creating new sustainable practices, along with the expansion of current in-progress initiatives.

Impact Statements

• Sustainable Buying Processes Support Local Businesses and Agriculture. CDS has grown local purchases by $.5 million dollars in a 1-year period, now anticipating being at $4.2 million. Over 20 new Ohio vendors were supported by our buying power this past year alone. Buying power supports progressive planning for small business, which supporta jobs, economy, and product innovation, helping smaller companies grow larger. Number of vendors/products purchased are tallied on an ongoing basis. Findings will be used to encourage others to participate. More jobs for the state of Ohio will be created.
• Sustainable Management Processes Support Green Practices. CDS has reduced impact to the environment in many facets by protecting precious resources such as water, electricity, and money. Trayless service has decreased water and chemical usage in the 10-20 percent range. Efficiency reports are being run on dish machines and other equipment. Waste is being physically measured. Findings are used to further cost savings. Money and jobs will be saved as well as helping to save the environment by adding less to landfills.
• “Reuse, Recycle, Renew” Supports Renewable Energy Processes. By planning for implementation of a “pulping” system and reuse of fryer oil for biodiesel, CDS works to create end product that rounds out the life cycle of products. Dollars will be saved by paying less cost for trash removal. Money will be gained by receiving compensation for oil being reused by vendor partners for fuel.

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