OU Community Partner Award presented to Marty Conley
Oct. 30—IRONTON — Ohio University Southern partner Marty Conley with the Lawrence County Visitors Bureau was recognized with an Outstanding Community Partner Award at the second annual Community Engagement Symposium at the Ohio University Inn in Athens.
The Center for Campus and Community Engagement hosted the symposium, featuring Ohio University's inaugural awards ceremony recognizing the Community Partner Award Winners, the recipients of the Sugar Bush Foundation's partnership awards and the winner of the Ohio Campus Compact's Ping Community Service Award. The event also included professional development opportunities for Ohio University staff, faculty and community organizations through interactive workshops and networking opportunities.
Conley accepted the award at the Community Engagement Symposium. The community partnership between Ohio University and Lawrence County Convention and Visitors Bureau, along with nearly 20 other partners throughout the Tri-State, aims to diversify cultural heritage tourism in the region and state. Part of this includes marking historic spots across nine counties with the help of external funding from Appalachian Regional Commission's POWER Initiative.
Through this partnership, one site in the region, Macedonia Baptist Church, has already been added to the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. 32 freed slaves settled near this church, and it was a religious and social place of importance for the Black community.
In a release, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown said, "It's important that we recognize the Macedonia Baptist Church as the place of honor that it should be and pay tribute to the many great Black Ohioans who assisted freedom seekers and welcomed them into the community. By recognizing Macedonia Baptist Church, we will preserve the legacy and struggle of those who bravely risked their lives for freedom."
