As part of its Civil Discourse for Citizenship initiative, CEHV hosts a Civil Discourse Fellows program for undergraduates.
CEHV Civil Discourse Fellows plan and moderate CEHV's Civil Discourse Forums and serve as ambassadors for civil discourse on campus. Each Civil Discourse Fellow receives a $750 fellowship award and serves from the autumn semester when they are accepted through autumn semester of the following year. Applications for 2025-2026 will open in Fall 2025.
Upcoming Civil Discourse Forums
Autumn 2024
- Should the Personal be Political?
- Is a Two-State Solution Still a Viable Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict?
Past Civil Discourse Forums
Spring 2024
- Do Prisons Make us Safe?
- What are the Foreign Aid Responsibilities of Developed Countries?
- Should Transgender Athletes be Permitted to Compete According to their Gender Identity?
Autumn 2023
Spring 2023
Autumn 2022
Spring 2022
2025 Undergraduate Civil Discourse Fellows
George Bernard
George is a second-year majoring in Finance and Information Systems with a minor in History on the Pre-Law track. He is involved with Undergraduate Student Government as the head of the legislative branch, Buckeye Undergraduate Consulting Club, and serves as the Secretary of BridgeUSA at Ohio State. Outside of school, he is an avid Columbus Blue Jackets Fan.
Elise Brown
Elise is a junior pursuing a double major in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, alongside Theatre. She is actively involved in several organizations, including OSU's pre-law fraternity, Phi Alpha Delta, the Ethics Bowl Team, Buckeyes for Baking, and The Ohio Innocence Project. Currently, she serves as a Legislative Page at the Ohio House of Representatives and holds the position of External Communications Associate for an ongoing Ohio Senate campaign.
Izza Haq
Izza is a second-year student double majoring in Journalism and Public Affairs. She is a freelance reporter for The Lantern on the Arts & Life desk. She is the Marketing Chair for the Pakistani American Student’s Association as well as a committee member for Students for Justice in Palestine. In her hometown, she mentors youth at her local mosque. She has also been involved with CAIR-Ohio and recently joined YUSRA (Young United Souls for Revolutionary Action), focusing on advocacy and civic engagement within local Muslim communities.
Laney King
Laney is a third-year student majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and Spanish with a minor in History. On campus, she is involved with the outreach team of TEDxOhioStateUniversity and works as the grants coordinator for Vocalize Interpreting. She is an Ohio State yoga instructor, teaching yoga to her fellow students at the RPAC. Laney also volunteers with the Legal Aid Society of Southeast and Central Ohio and recently spent the summer working in the district office of an Ohio congresswoman.
Kandace McConnell
Kandace is a first-year Morrill Scholar majoring in English on the pre-law track. She is also minoring in Spanish and Civic Engagement. She serves as the DEI chair for her Community Council and is an active member as a Law and Society Scholar. Outside of academics, Kandace works as the Arps Hall Student Librarian. Before college, Kandace had an internship with the Columbus Metropolitan Library where she promoted literacy and accessibility in education for youth.
Camden-Sinclair Miller
Camden is a first-year student from St. Louis, MO, double majoring in Journalism and Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) on the pre-law track. He is a Morrill Scholar and part of the Morrill Scholars Program Living-Learning Community. Around campus, he's involved in PPE Society, The Lantern, and the Undergraduate Black Law Student Association. Camden is a person who listens to understand and is passionate about helping individuals who disagree see eye to eye.
Jack Williams
Jack is a third year Morrill Scholar studying PPE (Philosophy, Politics, Economics), and Data Analytics in the university's honors program. He serves as member development chair for PPE society, and as the director of projects for the Buckeye Undergraduate Consulting Club (BUCC). Jack has worked as a policy analyst intern, and most recently interned in operations at Huntington National Bank.
Annie Zhang
Annie is a second-year student double majoring in Psychology and Public Management, Leadership and Policy. Passionate about social impact, discussing novel ideas, and coaching, she is involved in Undergraduate Student Government, TEDxOhioStateUniversity, and the Global Leadership Institute cohort. In her hometown, St. Louis, she has worked as a political canvasser for several local and congressional campaigns. In her spare time, she enjoys meeting new people, playing piano, and hip hop dance.
2024 Undergraduate Civil Discourse Fellows
Kayla Anderson
Kayla Anderson is a 4th year Political Science major on the pre-law track. She also has minors in Spanish and Business. She currently serves as the vice president of the Undergraduate Black Law Student Association, treasurer of the Minority Collegiate Outreach and Support Team, and DEI committee co-chair for her Law and Society Scholars Program. Outside of school, she often volunteers with the Legal Aid Society of Columbus which provides free legal services for low-income Columbus residents.
Muheeb Hijazeen
Muheeb is a fourth year Industrial and Systems Engineering student with a minor in Clinical Psychology on the pre-law track. On campus, he is the Vice President of Internal Relations for the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers. He sits on the advisory board for the Ohio Prison Education Exchange Project, is an engineering ambassador, and is a Mount Leadership Society Scholar. Muheeb works in Undergraduate Admissions as a Junior Undergraduate Admissions Counselor and works part-time at Nationwide Insurance as a Data Science Researcher. In the past, Muheeb has interned for Ford Motor Company and GE Aerospace.
Nora Igelnik
Nora is a third-year journalism and public management, leadership, and policy student with a minor in media production and analysis. She is a Stamps Eminence Scholar and is involved in The Lantern and Pen Pals OSU. She currently works as a student digital producer at WOSU Public Media.
Mohamed Manaa
Mohamed is a fourth-year majoring in Political Science with minors in history and music. He serves as the president for the United Nations Association chapter on campus and is a member of the Collegiate Council on World Affairs. He is currently conducting research with Dr. Vladimir Kogan in the Department of Political Science while interning with the Middle East Studies Center on campus.
Sophia Markley
Sophia is a second-year student majoring in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE). She is involved in Model United Nations, and also serves as the Civic Engagement Chair within the Smith-Steeb Community Council Executive Board. Sophia has worked as both a Law Intern and an International Business Intern and has been passionate about politics and civics since she joined high school.
Tyler Monk
Tyler is a fourth-year student majoring in PPE (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics) with a minor in Religious Studies and seeking a certificate in Civil Discourse. He is a part of the Undergraduate Student Government, currently serving as a University Senator, and on the University Conduct Board. He is also the President of the Leighton Undergraduate Philosophy Club, Secretary of the PPE Society, and involved with the Ethics Bowl Team. Tyler has worked as a constituent aide in the Ohio House of Representatives and is currently interning at a Columbus based lobbying firm.
Sarah Spencer
Sarah is a third-year student double majoring in EEDS (environment, economy, development, and sustainability) and World Politics, specializing in both international development and world economics. She is also minoring in Nonprofit Organization Management. In her time at OSU, she has founded a nonprofit organization called HARVEST, focused on providing aid to developing and low-income areas of the world through the implementation of sustainable agriculture and infrastructure systems, and she currently serves as the organization’s President.
Lillian Wang
Lillian is a second-year student majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) in the Honors Program of the College of Arts and Sciences. She is involved in Mock Trial, the Arts and Sciences Student Council, and the American Enterprise Institute at OSU. She is the current student representative of the Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee, as well as part of the Undergraduate Student Government.
2023 Undergraduate Civil Discourse Fellows
Joe Bjorkman
Joe is a transfer student majoring in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) with a minor in public policy. He is involved in OSU College Democrats and PPE Society, as well as a proud member of the Sons of the American Legion. He is currently working at The Library Bar and most recently worked at the United States Senate as a Congressional Intern.
Cydney Carter
Cydney is a Sociology major on the Pre-Law track with a Human Rights minor. She is a Law and Society Scholar and a Morrill Scholar and is currently working as an admin assistant for the Center for Belonging and Social Change. She serves on the Executive Board for the Law and Society Scholars as a member of the Social Committee. She is an active member of the Undergraduate Black Law Student Association (UBLSA) and the Minority Community Outreach Support Team (MCOST) on the Fundraising Committee.
Aditya Desai
Adi is currently studying data analytics with a minor in economics, in the College of Arts and Sciences. In his short time at OSU so far, he has been involved in the Big Data Analytics Association where he serves as a Special Project Coordinator, and he is also part of the Eminence Fellows Program.
Ellamarie Jones
Ellamarie is double majoring in Security & Intelligence and French. She sits on the board of the Alexander Hamilton Society’s OSU chapter, and mentors students in the TEDxYouth Dayton program. She is also a member of the Stadium Scholarship Program.
Trevor Jones
Trevor will graduate in 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He is a member of the Ohio State Ultimate Frisbee club. He is also an Eagle Scout and continues to be involved in the Boy Scouts of America as an adult leader and role model to youth. He is involved in activism in the Columbus area concerning the rights of transgender youth, abortion access, and labor organizing.
Elyse Reed
Elyse is double majoring in English and PPE in the Honors Program of the College of Arts and Sciences. She is the vice president of the PPE Society where she founded the first PPE Book Club for Independent Study. She is also the social media coordinator of Ohio State's branch of Amnesty International and a Senate Page for the Ohio Senate.
Julia Rizzo
Julia is majoring in Public Management, Leadership, and Policy and minoring in Science and Engineering in the Public Interest through the John Glenn College of Public Affairs. She is an International Affairs Scholar, Vice President of the Collegiate Council on World Affairs, and an OSU Votes Ambassador. She also works as an RA on-campus and as a Senate Page at the Ohio Statehouse.
Saed Yousuf
Saed is a Criminology and Criminal Justice major with a minor in Judicial Politics. On campus, Saed is a member of Ohio State's Ohio Innocence Project chapter and the Undergraduate Black Law Student Association. Additionally, he is currently in his second-year interning at the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas with Judge Sheryl Munson. Saed is also a graduate of the Ohio Prison Education Exchange Project and a member of the Philosophy for Humans learning community at Southeastern Correctional Institution (a community made up of Ohio State students, teachers, and incarcerated individuals focused on supporting higher education in prison).
2022 Undergraduate Civil Discourse Fellows
Salma Albezreh
Salma is a Public Health major in Ohio State's Honors Program. She is also an Eminence Fellow, member of the Eminence Student Advisory Council, Editorial Assistant for the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Dayton International Peace Museum Board Member, and Harvard Medical School Research Assistant.
Andres Berrios-Perez
Andres is a Political Science major. He is a Law and Society Scholar and Morrill Scholar, and is currently working as an analyst for innovation at OnRamp, a project for students by the Fisher College of Business. Andres is also a student engagement specialist, connecting with Ohio State alumni and raising funds for the university. Additionally, he recently attended a conference on Hispanic politics in Washington DC organized by the American Enterprise Institute. Andres is a recipient of the Morrill Excellence Scholarship and has been named to the Dean's List each semester at Ohio State.
Morgan Gibbs
Morgan is a double major in Public Policy and Journalism in the University Honors Program. She is a Fellow in the 2023 Cohort of the Buckeye Leadership Fellows Program, Chief Outreach Officer of Best Food Forward, Senior Reporter for The Lantern, and Team Member for BuckeyeThon. She is a recipient of a Maximus Scholarship and the 2021 George J. Kienzle Memorial Scholarship from the School of Communication, and has been named to the Dean's List five times.
Kendal Harris
Kendal is a major in Public Management, Leadership, and Policy. She is a member of the Morrill Scholars Program of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Kendal is also a member of the university's Equestrian Team and an avid writer, publishing her debut novel in 2020.
Madison Meixner
Madison is a Political Science major, with a double minor in Biology and Spanish. Madison is a Morrill Scholar and an International Affairs Scholar. She serves as an RA and as the Social Chair for International Affairs, and participates in Ohio State's Spanish and Portuguese Club, CCOSU (a club that works in tandem with Community Immigration & Refugee Services), Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity and Women’s Rugby Club.
Corinne Miller
Corinne is a major in Public Policy Analysis in the Honors Program, minoring in Statistics. She is a member of the Law and Society Scholars. Additionally, she serves as an editor for the Journal of Political and International Affairs, where she reviews undergraduate research, and works with visiting exchange students as a member of Ohio State's Exchange Partner Program.
Jacob Scheinblum
Jacob is a major in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) and Chinese in the university's Honors Program. He is President and Secretary of the OSU PPE Society and is a member of the Philosophy Club. Before coming to Ohio State, he joined the North American Vexillological Association and founded the Political Discourse Club, where he ran a school-wide campaign on the importance of civil discourse surrounding the 2020 presidential election. Jacob has been named to the university's Dean's List.
Adarsh Subramanian
Adarsh graduated from Ohio State in Spring 2022 with a major in Finance and Economics. He was a member of the Integrated Business and Engineering Honors Program and Buckeye Capital Investors. He now works in technology investment banking in San Francisco.
CEHV's "Civil Discourse for Citizenship" program is led by Kathryn Joyce, Eric MacGilvray, Piers Turner, and Aaron Yarmel. It is pursued with generous support from the Derrow Family Foundation and in partnership with Ohio State's Listen. Learn. Discuss. initiative.