Two Marietta College Employees Named ARC Appalachian Teaching Fellows
Award recognizes ongoing commitment to sustainable community development
Marietta, OH (04/23/2025) — In recognition of outstanding leadership and student engagement "at a level that goes far beyond a typical classroom experience," the Appalachian Regional Commission named Dr. Alexandra Perry, Dean of the McDonough Center for Leadership and Business, and Chris Scheppner, Director of Admissions at Marietta College, as ARC Appalachian Teaching Fellows for 2024-2025 for their participation in the Appalachian Collegiate Research Initiative (ACRI).
An idea for a student research project to assess rural healthcare workforce needs, in collaboration with Ely Chapman Educational Foundation, initiated the process that led to the award. Perry and Schnepper began by writing a grant proposal last year to support the project.
Under the leadership of Perry and Scheppner, five students--Maria Cipro '25, Kianna O'Brien '27, McKenna Barks '27, Jenna Levans '26, and Abby May '25-took on the project challenge. In December they presented their initial work at the ACRI capstone symposium in Washington, D.C. Marietta College was one of fifteen colleges and universities participating in the event.
But the students' work inspired them to go further; it inspired them to take personal action this week. A health fair on the Marietta College campus on Tuesday, to educate their Marietta College community, was a direct result of participation in the project.
"It is incredibly rewarding to witness students' passion and growth as they realize the multiple levels at which they can have impact on their community," Perry said. "On a personal level, they planned a health fair for their peers, but they now equally understand the significance of their work in relation to our work with Health Policy Institute of Ohio around how proposed changes to Medicaid expansion will affect Appalachian Ohio."
ACRI, a coalition of Appalachian centers and programs from colleges and universities throughout the region, is an applied research training program for Appalachian college students to support economic development initiatives for their communities. The ARC Appalachian Teaching Fellow award recognizes the work and support of teachers who involve students in ACRI projects that get students out of the classroom and into their communities, developing their leadership and civic skills.
Perry's and Scheppner's grant award, determined through a competitive process, also provided for students to study what academic programs might be needed to support educating that workforce and how Marietta College might collaborate with community partners to help build the capacity of organizations to address the health and wellness needs of the local region.
