Alumni Alumni in the News In the News

December 23, 2015 at 1:44 pm

Sociology Alum Running for District 94 in Ohio House of Representatives

Ohio University alum Eddie Smith is running for District 94 in the Ohio House of Representatives, which includes most of Athens County.

Eddie Smith

Eddie Smith

Smith earned a B.A. in Sociology from the College of Arts & Sciences at Ohio University, and is following up with a master’s in Sociology.

About Eddie Smith

From his website: “My name is Eddie Smith (sometimes “Carl Edward Smith III” in the papers). I’m one of eight children, and I’ve spent most of my life growing up in low-income housing in a river community called Martins Ferry. I moved to Athens County in 2008 to go to college at Ohio University. I decided to earn my Bachelor’s in Sociology so I could learn why families like my own could work so hard, but still remained stuck in poverty. I stayed in Athens for the next two years to earn my Master’s in Sociology. While in grad school, I became inspired by leaders in both the university and the community who were working hard to make Athens a better place for everyone. At that point, I really started to get involved.

“I became a student leader in the university student government, and soon became President of the Graduate Student Senate at Ohio University. On the university committees, I have always stood up against the money interests in higher education and voted against tuition and fee increases. Out in the community, I work for a local food initiative in Athens called Shagbark Seed and Mill, and I also work at the farmers market on the weekends. I also serve on the Athens County Energy Task Force and I am a volunteer organizer with UpGrade Athens County. But even with Athens providing so many opportunities to be involved, my education has not stopped. Sociology provided a strong foundation for learning why hard working families become trapped, and now I am finishing my Master’s in Public Administration degree from the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs.”

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