Voinovich School celebrates 50 years of Environmental Studies with alumni, industry partners at Jackie O's on Fourth

The late June skies were dark and stormy, but inside Jackie O’s on Fourth in Columbus, the mood was festive as Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service capped off a year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the school’s Environmental Studies program.

More than 70 alumni, past and present faculty, and staff attended the June 25 event, enjoying an evening of networking and reconnecting with friends old and new.

After opening remarks by Dean Tracy Plouck and former program director Geoff Dabelko, Art Oestrike ’01, owner and founder of Jackie O’s, and Voinovich Professor Sarah Davis highlighted the longstanding relationship between the brewery and the school. The partnership has primarily involved research into the circular economy, where brewery waste is converted into fuel.

“Natural resources are used to produce beer,” said Davis. “We capture waste from brewing and incorporate it into developing agricultural products that are then reused in the beer and the restaurant’s food.”

Supporting community partners

The setting of the party was fitting, as Jackie O’s celebrates its own anniversary, marking 20 years in 2025. The company has evolved from a small brewpub to a nationally recognized brand, one that helped kick-start the craft brewery craze in the Midwest and Appalachia. Oestrike and Davis also provided details on the next phase of the partnership, in which a repurposed tank from the brewery will be utilized in the building of a permanent waste collection system at the brewery’s production facility in Athens.

“We’re excited for the next phase of this partnership that we’ve been working towards for years,” said Oestrike. “It’s important for us and the school to work together beyond the university walls.”

And if there’s a thread that runs through the program’s 50 years, it’s the multitude of projects that are brought into the community and paired with other outside stakeholders to make the world a better place.

“My time at the Voinovich School greatly accelerated my professional development thanks to real-world projects and world-class mentors,” said Alex Slaymaker ’14, who now works as a client success partner at WeaveGrid, a software company that works to optimize electric vehicle charging. “[My] experiences showed me how the climate crisis disproportionately affects vulnerable communities, exacerbating existing inequalities and conflicts. It ignited my dedication to combating this crisis head-on.”

Preparing for the next 50 years

The program’s next 50 years coincide with significant upheaval in the world, including technological advancements, climate change, war, and conflict, as well as disruptions in water and food supplies. Planning and adapting while mitigating some of those worst effects is crucial for survival, a notion that the Environmental Studies program is eager and capable of addressing.

“I'm most proud of the dedication to service that our students, alumni, and our faculty and staff have, and that work is purposeful,” said Natalie Kruse-Daniels, the current director of the Environmental Studies program. “We don’t do research for research's sake, but it’s about meeting that public service mission.”

To learn more about the program or contribute to its work visit https://www.ohio.edu/voinovich-school/environmental-studies-50-year-anniversary