Youth development leader encourages high school students to follow passions, accomplish life goals

With a passion for service and dedication to supporting younger generations, Asti Powell hopes to motivate high school students in Appalachian Ohio.

Powell, who graduated from Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Services Master's in Public Administration Program in 2014, is the executive director of the Paper City Mentoring Project (PCMP).

The PCMP is a nonprofit organization entering its 10th year, connecting high school teenagers in Ross County, Ohio, with “committed, trained adult mentors” who encourage, support and guide them. The organization provides one-to-one mentoring so teenagers can build relationships and accomplish personal goals “related to relationships, health, college and career readiness.”

“We meet teens where they are and focus on going deep rather than wide, helping each young person build the confidence, skills and support system they need to thrive,” Powell said.

During her time in the MPA Program, Powell connected with Appalachian communities facing “real-world issues.” Some of her projects included exploring the impact of fracking and oil and gas development on housing in eastern Ohio.

“These experiences were incredibly meaningful to me and helped shape how I view public service and community engagement,” Powell said. “They taught me the importance of working alongside communities to develop practical, collaborative solutions, rather than trying to come up with an answer in a room by yourself, or worse, simply ignoring the problem altogether.”

Powell said some of her favorite experiences in the MPA Program were spent with Professor Dr. Holly Raffle and former professor and MPA director Judy Millesen.

“They were fun, engaging, and always had me leaving stretching what I thought I knew, with a lot of humor and personality along the way,” Powell said.

Powell also took multiple opportunities to expand her career and portfolio as a Voinovich School student. She worked for Hocking Athens Perry Community Action (HAPCAP) and following graduation was offered a full-time position with HAPCAP.

Powell also spent time with the Ross County Health District and the City of Chillicothe.

“From piloting a local produce resale program and establishing a countywide Creating Healthy Communities coalition, to developing a new playground and park and helping bring on-demand transit and a trolley system to the City of Chillicothe, I have had the opportunity to work on projects that directly impacted the communities I served,” Powell said.

Throughout her career and in each of her jobs, Powell utilizes the lessons and experiences learned at the Voinovich School.

“At PCMP, I have applied many of the skills I developed through the Voinovich School and have used in previous roles, including organizational management, strategic planning, program development, evaluation, budgeting and working collaboratively with diverse stakeholders,” Powell said.

As she continues in her executive role, Powell encourages every teen to gain confidence and find their passion, just as she did at the Voinovich School.

“I find fulfillment in knowing that this work can help a young person feel seen, supported and empowered to keep moving forward,” Powell said. “My hope is that every teen we serve leaves our program believing a little more strongly in themselves, understanding their own worth and feeling equipped to set and reach goals that may not have initially seemed possible.”