Community Programs



Appreciative Inquiry		Chet Bowling	bowling.43@osu.edu	614.296.1174
	Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a comprehensive organization and community change process that intentionally focuses on the best in people, their organizations, and the relevant world around them. Through the use of unconditionally positive questions, AI broadens and deepens the imaginative capacity and accelerates the speed of innovation, leading to positive change. For more information, go to http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu .


Celebrating Diversity through Leadership		Rose Fisher Merkowitz	merkowitz.1@osu.edu	937.393.1918
	Celebrating diversity through our personality and leadership styles helps us to understand ourselves and others. This program will teach you about self-awareness, self-perception, judgment, energy source and lifestyle. You will learn to appreciate and capitalize on the strengths of yourself and others. Cost varies depending on the tailored program.


Communicating with Citizens		Nancy Kukay	kukay.3@osu.edu	419-294-5879
	This program focuses on the importance effective communications with citizens. Participants will learn the importance of a productive relationship with citizens and why it is the responsibility of those holding public office or a leadership position of any type to build and nurture this relationship. Participants will learn techniques to help ensure that there is open communication between those in a position of leadership and citizens, how to include citizens in the decision-making processes of an organization and how to deal with difficult people.


Community Growth & Change		Greg Davis	davis.1081@osu.edu	614.292.6356
	Typically offered at the county level, key community trends and issues are explained via relevant Census and other data. Key socio-economic data provide the basis for a discussion focusing on the community's economy, its workforce, population characteristics, and settlement and commuting patterns, for example. The program is targeted toward communities desirous of identifying development strategies and policy.


Conducting Effective Meetings		Nancy Kukay	kukay.3@osu.edu	419-294-5879
	Participants will learn the duties of officers and membership, how to compose an agenda, the importance of welcoming surroundings, techniques that encourage attendance and productive participation, requirements of a public meeting and the difference between a public meeting and public hearing. While the focus in on how public agencies should conduct meetings, this program is also helpful for any type of organization.


Emotional Intelligence		Rose Fisher Merkowitz	merkowitz.1@osu.edu	937.393.1918
	Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is understanding yourself and others, relating to people, adapting to and coping with immediate surroundings. EQ helps to predict success because it reflects how a person applies knowledge to the immediate situation. EQ measures your “common sense" and the ability to get along in the world. Cost varies depending on the tailored program.


First Impressions: Community, Corridor and Downtown		Myra Moss	moss.63@osu.edu	419.306.9402
	A community assessment program designed to gather information to evaluate and assist ongoing community planning, goal setting and economic development/tourism efforts. Communities will come to understand how they are perceived and experienced through the eyes of first time visitors, providing valuable insights that can be used to build on existing assets, address liabilities, and discover the image they are projecting. This program is available for small communities, neighborhoods, tourism corridors, and downtowns/Main Streets. For more information, go to http://1stimpressions.osu.edu .


Geographic Information System (GIS)		Talia Brown	brown.2934@osu.edu	614.247.7843
	The GIS program was designed to meet the growing demands of communities around Ohio who are looking for geospatial information to supplement various planning processes. This program targets Ohio communities who desire to use the analysis of business, marketing, and demographic data to evaluate trends while incorporating sustainability practices into their community decision-making efforts and comprehensive planning. For more information, see the GIS overview.


Local Government Leadership		Chet Bowling	bowling.43@osu.edu	614.296.1174
		John Conglose	conglose.1@osu.edu	330.263.3799
	The six-week program is for individuals serving in or running for public office who wish to enhance their decision-making and leadership skills. It also encourages dialogue between the many government entities in a county or region. Topics include utilizing strengths, working with local media, regional cooperation, and jobs.


Regional Sustainability Roundtable		Joe Konen	konen.2@osu.edu	330.263.3799
		Dana Oleskiewicz	oleskiewicz.1@osu.edu	330.263.3799
	Initiated by the OSU Extension Center at Wooster, the Regional Sustainability Roundtable focuses on education for sustainability. In addition to sponsoring forums on related topics, the roundtable serves as a resource to business, governmental, social, and service organizations to assist their successful planning and achievement of sustainability goals.

Strategic Planning		Jerry Thomas	thomas.69@osu.edu	419.422.6106


Successful Schools - Successful Communities		Joe Konen	konen.2@osu.edu	330.263.3799
		Chet Bowling	bowling.43@osu.edu	614.296.1174
	The Successful Schools – Successful Communities (SS-SC) is a community action process tool to help local communities reach deeper levels of engagement with their schools. The goal of the SS – SC process is to improve the quality of life in communities by improving the quality of education for all community residents. School – community engagement is a proven method to achieve this objective. For more information, view the SS-SC overview.


Sustainable Communities Planning		Bill Grunkemeyer	grunkemeyer.1@osu.edu	330.202.3555
		Myra Moss	moss.63@osu.edu	419.306.9402
	A community-wide process to discover shared values, build consensus, identify linkages and create balance among the environmental, economic and social interest of your community. The resulting vision is the guide to produce a community action plan. This process will take 12- 18 months to complete. For more information, go to http://sustainabledevelopment.osu.edu .


Sustainable Comprehensive Land Use Planning		Bill Grunkemeyer	grunkemeyer.1@osu.edu	330.202.3555
		Myra Moss	moss.63@osu.edu	419.306.9402
	This program uses the Sustainable Communities Program as its base to produce a land use plan for the community. Community leaders and professionals work in teams to create the various sections of the plan. Geographical Information System work is available to enhance the final plan and planning process. This process will take 18-24 months to complete. For more information, go to http://sustainabledevelopment.osu.edu .


Tools for Comprehensive Land Use Planning		John Conglose	conglose.1@osu.edu	330.263.3799


Understanding Subdivision Regulations		Nancy Kukay	kukay.3@osu.edu	419-294-5879
	This program discusses the basics of subdivision regulations and provides an update about new enabling legislation in Ohio . Participants will learn the purpose of subdivision regulations, relevant Ohio Revised Code sections, and the implications of the expanded authority of regional planning in governing lot splits.


Understanding your Personality Style using Myers-Briggs		Nancy Kukay	kukay.3@osu.edu	419-294-5879
	By identifying and gaining an understanding of one's own natural personality preferences, participants can better understand how to effectively function in a leadership position and be a more effective team member. This program fits well into a leadership program, at the start of a strategic planning process, or as a component of organizational development or teambuilding.


Visioning		Nancy Kukay	kukay.3@osu.edu	419-294-5879
	This program focuses on using community visioning as the start of a strategic planning process. Participants will learn what is meant by visioning and how it fits into a larger planning process. Participants will also learn the components of a vision statement and how to compose a meaningful vision statement. Participants will learn how other communities have used the power of their vision to transform their communities.


Vision to Action		John Conglose	conglose.1@osu.edu	330.263.3799
	A program designed to take practitioners through the community action process: from getting started, to holding a community workshop, to implementing an action plan, to maintaining momentum. Some basic material is also provided on how to conduct a community assessment and strategies for monitoring and evaluating the process.
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Community Programs