OHIO Eastern student selected for competitive undergraduate research apprenticeship focused on Appalachian storytelling

91ԭ�� Eastern student TyLynn Smith has been selected for the highly competitive Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (URAP) through the Honors Tutorial College at 91ԭ��.

Through the program, Smith will take part in a summer apprenticeship focused on storytelling, environmental history, and community engagement in partnership with .

Smith, a social work major at , will work alongside Dr. Jacqueline Yahn, associate professor of teacher education at 91ԭ�� Eastern, and community partners at Captina Conservancy on the project, “Deep Roots and Wild Waters: Bringing the Captina Archives to Life.”

The Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program matches Honors students with faculty mentors leading research and community-based projects. Selected students receive funding while contributing to faculty-led initiatives throughout the summer months.

TyLynn Smith at Dysart Woods with Marshall Dyer

“I wasn’t born on a farm or raised in an agriculturally based lifestyle, but growing up in Appalachia, that connection to community and place becomes part of who you are,” Smith said. “This apprenticeship gives me the opportunity to turn that passion into something meaningful while discovering local history I was not aware of before. I am excited to develop skills in areas like marketing, archives and storytelling while helping share voices and stories that may not have been heard otherwise. I am incredibly grateful to Dr. Yahn, Captina Conservancy, Dr. Buckley and the Honors Tutorial College for this opportunity.”

Yahn explained that she is very happy that Smith will be taking part in the program.

“This opportunity reflects the kind of meaningful, community-connected learning experiences we strive to create at OHIO Eastern,” said Yahn. “TyLynn’s passion for storytelling and advocacy makes her an excellent fit for this work. We are incredibly excited to have her help us translate and bring our research to broader audiences, ensuring these important Appalachian stories are shared widely while she gains hands-on professional experience.”

Dr. Geoffrey Buckley, associate dean, professor and director of experiential education for 91ԭ��'s Honors Tutorial College, said that the program provides students with unique real-world research and learning opportunities.

“Experiential learning is one of the pillars of the OHIO Honors Program," Buckley said. "What the Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program, or URAP, does is give students the opportunity to conduct research in the field and to work closely with a faculty mentor. In terms of experiential learning, it doesn’t get better than that.”

The project centers on the Captina Creek Watershed, one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in Ohio and home to Dysart Woods, one of the last remaining tracts of old growth forest in the eastern United States. The initiative seeks to make archival materials, oral histories, maps and community stories more accessible through visual and digital storytelling.

Throughout the summer, Smith will contribute to several major storytelling initiatives connected to Captina Conservancy community programming and outreach. Her work will include developing storytelling content surrounding and Ohio River Fest summer events, helping share oral histories collected during last year’s Captina Creekin’ Festival and assisting in transforming Yahn’s recently published Journal of Appalachian Studies article about the Dysart sisters into visual storytelling pieces for public audiences.

TyLynn Smith - Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program with Parnteers Captina Conservancy

“Captina Conservancy greatly values our relationship with 91ԭ�� Eastern. The staff and students have been tremendously helpful with events and with spreading awareness about the conservancy,” said Turner Provost, executive director of Captina Conservancy. “Capturing local storytelling is very important to us. In modern times, oral history and storytelling almost seem like a lost art. We want to preserve these stories so future generations can appreciate them, and TyLynn will help us accomplish that. We look forward to working with TyLynn and many of the other outstanding students involved with the Rural Teacher Corps.”

As part of the apprenticeship, Smith will gain experience in archive management, public storytelling, digital content creation and community engagement while working closely with faculty and nonprofit leaders.

According to the proposal, the project also emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration and encourages students to apply their own academic background and creativity to community focused storytelling efforts.

Smith’s work with the project will continue throughout the summer and will help support public engagement efforts tied to several community events hosted by Captina Conservancy.

For more information about Captina Conservancy, visit the

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