Auburn students set to launch 13th year of Living Democracy in rural communities
Four Auburn University students will be living and learning in Alabama communities for 10 weeks this summer as participants in the College of Liberal Arts’ Living Democracy initiative. The 2024 Living Democracy students are Elisha Oyola, Hayley Platt, Naomi Taylor, and Colette Whitney. Throughout the summer, they will work with community partners in Camden, Chatom, Collinsville, and Elba.
Oyola, a political science major from Opelika, will be in Elba, working primarily with the nonprofit organization Restoration154. The son of David and Brandi Oyola and a graduate of Opelika High School, Oyola said he is eager to make lasting connections with community members while learning about everything from grant writing to problem-solving skills.
Restoration 154’s leaders have welcomed students into the community every summer since 2012. Laurie Chapman said, “We always enjoy getting to know our Living Democracy students from Auburn and to learn what unique perspectives that they will bring to our town.” Justin Maddox added, “I believe our city benefits from the new points of view and the examples of civic involvement that the students display and that the students benefit from seeing the real impact that they can have in a short period of time when they are truly engaged.”
Platt will be returning to her hometown of Chatom for a summer of living democracy. A Speech, Language, and Hearing Science major and graduate of Washington County High School, she will be working closely with Jessica Ross, director of the Washington County Public Library.
Ross said, “We have big plans for Hayley, and we are looking forward to connecting her with our local network of contacts so that she can gain experiences in project planning and management, community partnership, and other valuable, transferable skills that will be useful in any career.”
She added, “This is more than just a summer internship or a line on a student's resume. It's an experiential deep dive into rural life and an opportunity for students to celebrate the wonderful, charming unique parts of living and working in a small town, while also acknowledging, and even helping to address, some of the challenges facing the people whocall these small towns home.”
Whitney, from Eva, will spend her summer in the northeast Alabama community of Collinsville where she will be working closely with Jennifer Wilkins, director of the Collinsville Public Library.
Wilkins said she expects Whitney “to take her life experiences and knowledge and make our library and town better for every citizen.” She said of Collinsville’s participation in the Living Democracy program since 2012, “Having students from many differ majors each year has been valuable to us, and no two have been even remotely similar. The students share their lives with us, and we have these resources to call on long after the summer is over.”
Whitney, a graduate of Cullman High School and the daughter of Martha and Stuart Whitney, is a political science major who said Living Democracy is “a listening and engaging experience that propels me to see the story in everything.” She said she is excited about discovering and sharing stories about Collinsville and expanding her Spanish speaking skills.
Taylor, a Global Studies in Human Sciences major with a minor in Nonprofit and Philanthropy Studies, will be living and learning in Camden with community partners Sulynn Creswell, executive director, and Kristin Law, arts programs and marketing director, at Black Belt Treasures.
Creswell said, “The Living Democracy Program has provided our community theopportunity to share “our” stories with a much broader audience. The program’s uniquedesign of allowing each intern a chance to create their own experience means that the program has been different each year. Yet, the common thread is that each intern finds ordinary citizens engaged in community building.”
She said she expected Taylor’s summer will be filled with learning experiences as she gets to know residents who invest in making Camden vibrant.
Taylor, a graduate of Homewood High School and daughter of Catherine and Dwight Brown, said, “I hope to become close with the people, learn about their lives, and tell theirstories while gaining some professional experience in my field.”
Living Democracy students serve as Jean O'Connor Snyder Interns with the David Mathews Center for Civic Life. Started in 2010 by Mark Wilson, director of the Caroline Marshall Draughon Center for the Arts & Humanities in the College of Liberal Arts, and Associate Professor Nan Fairley, Living Democracy originated as a Kettering Foundation project focused on the role of higher education in preparing citizens for public life.
Deborah Witte, in the 2012 Higher Education Exchange, described the initiative as a “pioneering approach to civic engagement” because of its community-based approach and impact on students. In the end, the goal of Living Democracy is to teach students just that: to live democracy and show that true change, understanding, and progress comes from being engaged and active in your community, wherever that may be, Wilson said.
Graduate Assistant Brittany Branyon is coordinating social media accounts produced by 2024 Living Democracy students. Anyone interested in this year’s students can follow stories they write about their adventures on the Living Democracy Facebook page and the Living Democracy web page. The Montgomery Advertiser will also be sharing students’ stories throughout the summer.
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