Voinovich Research Scholar’s journey winds through Appalachian towns to White House

Before an eventful trip to Washington, D.C. turned into once-in-a-lifetime memory for Emily Stokes and her fellow OHIO journalism students, the Voinovich Undergraduate Research Scholar had already gained valuable experience working at the school’s student-run newspaper, The Post, and assisting local governments in the region.

Her experience at the newspaper led to her selection to attend the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which took an unexpected turn when a gunman rushed the security at the event, forcing its postponement and traumatizing those in attendance.

Her experience assisting local governments revolves around her continuing work with the Mayors’ Partnership for Progress (MPP), for which she has performed a variety of tasks aimed at supporting Appalachian communities while learning more about the challenges they face in the region.

The convergence of local and federal government policy and politics with her communications pursuits have meshed nicely with the goals of the senior, who plans to graduate next year with a degree in journalism strategic communication, a minor in political science, and certificate in law, justice and culture.

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Stokes’ journey is a prime example of how Ohio University strives to give students not only a solid educational experience but also provides them with opportunities to grow through its many external partnerships.

Her well-rounded career at OHIO, which has included serving as a reporter, editor and opinion writer for The Post, was elevated when she was accepted as a Voinovich Scholar assigned to the MPP, which is led by Amista Lipot, director of external relations and strategic partnerships for the George V. Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service.

Her duties at MPP have included administrative work, writing website features of mayors and fiscal officers about their roles and benefits of participation in the partnership, researching and finding grants applicable to members such as for infrastructure support and police and fire services, and reviewing pending legislation and how it would impact local governments.

“It’s about finding ways to highlight the work the Mayors’ Partnership does, sharing how the MPP can support small governments,” said Stokes, who plans to apply to law school after graduating from OHIO. “Whether it is law or journalism, my experience with the Mayors’ Partnership as a student scholar has really helped me understand the world around me.”

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Stokes said traveling with MPP for its monthly meetings has been informative.

“It’s interesting not only to learn about the politics but also the struggles faced by small governments especially in Ohio that need extra support. It helps me to understand the common issues that go on and areas that can be improved for the future,” she said. “From a journalism standpoint, being able to connect with people across Southeastern Ohio who have different backgrounds from myself shows that we all have a common goal of making communities better.”

Hearing about legislation impacts, constituent concerns and other challenges, Stokes added, “is really an experiential learning opportunity that I would not get if I was in a larger city going to college.”

Stokes is a shining example of the overarching purpose and intended outcomes of the Voinovich Undergraduate Research Scholars program, according to Lipot.

“In one short year, Emily became a critical component to the project team, adding value and unique insight in areas that the staff sometimes do not consider. Watching her learn and grow through the lens of this regional partnership has been exciting,” Lipot said.

White House Dinner experience provides important lessons

While her academic pursuits and MPP experience will serve her well as she advances in her professional career, it’s the unexpected developments at the White House press dinner that will make for a unique memory for years to come.

It also provided many lessons on the role and responsibilities of the media.

Thanks to the national reputation of OHIO's E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, the University has three of the 30 coveted student scholarships to attend the annual event.

Stokes, who had previously applied and written essays to qualify, was selected along with fellow students Nyla Gilbert and Aiden Ryan.

Just before the dinner was set to begin, a shooting in the lobby of the Washington Hilton led to the evacuation of President Donald Trump and other officials, leaving attendees in shock. The dinner was eventually rescheduled for July 24, and two of the three OHIO students made the return trip.

“So much of it felt like an out-of-body experience. It was the opportunity of a lifetime and when I was originally selected to go it was very surreal. The chain of events following the original dinner continued to be surreal. It was so unexpected,” Stokes said.

Stokes, Gilbert and Ryan wrote about their experience in an editorial for The Post that noted some discomfort when reporters attending the event sought to interview them immediately after the shooting.

It brought to mind her experiences in journalism school and working with MPP that stressed treating others with respect, Stokes said.

“It was always a principle I learned in journalism courses at OU, but to be on the other side of it puts into perspective some of the stories you hear about the media and privacy,” she said. “I also learned no scoop is worth making your source uncomfortable and being a trustworthy professional is incredibly important.”

Meeting with OHIO alumni and well-known journalists

Making the return trip to Washington for the rescheduled dinner was an easy choice, and the second time around proved to be much more enjoyable. The students were able to meet many OHIO alumni and well-known journalists.

“I didn’t want to pass up what we earned as students and, because of the reputation of E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, we wanted to go back and represent,” Stokes said. “It was a lot of closure to go back. I felt proud of myself and the other students who were there that we could go back and celebrate the press and the work that was done by the journalists covering the White House.”

The students found the interactions between the journalists and politicians fascinating. Stokes described the tension between the traditional comedy element of the dinner and the line of professionalism amongst journalists and politicians alike.

“That’s the other thing I took away – just the unbelievable professionalism of some of the journalists and their ability to go into that situation and be so inspiring, full of such grace. That’s definitely something I aspire to and it was a learning opportunity for me,” she said.

“Even though the attack happened it was a dream to get to meet with journalists like Kaitlan Collins and to meet some of those really big-name journalists who young students aspire to be like,” Stokes said.

Stokes remarked at how much support she and her fellow students received from the OHIO community in the wake of the first event.

“I had a lot of support and heard from a lot of people in the OU community like professors, coworkers, alumni and more which I appreciated a great deal, and it empowered me to go back and finish what we started,” she said.

“It’s really the reason why I chose OU in the first place. No matter what opportunities I sought after, even if it was a risk, I would have the support to succeed. This was really a situation where I felt that. You really realize the value of community when something unexpected happens,” she said.

“Hopefully one day I’ll be able to give back to that community given I’ve had so much support not just through the good but through the bad as well,” Stokes said.