Some seasons don’t just pass but leave an imprint that shapes who we are and how we see the world. This summer was one of those perfect seasons. It was more than a break from school; it was a living classroom where community transformed into a place of belonging, mentorship, and purpose. As an international student who moved to the US to start my PhD last August, this was my first summer here, and it was magical. As a matter of fact, it was the beginning of a new chapter filled with opportunities I could never have imagined just a year ago. Through the support and efforts of my academic advisor, Max Woodworth, my summer started with a trip to the beautiful city of Brisbane, Australia, for the Global Coal Transition Workshop, followed by an immersive field visit to Queensland’s Bowen Basin and other intriguing places like the Resources Centre of Excellence (RCoE) and the Renewable Biocommodities Pilot Plant in Mackay. This experiential trip was more than a physical journey—it was a move in a career commitment to understanding interconnected environmental justice, energy geography, and sustainable development challenges. What followed my return to Columbus on May 20 was a 14-week transformative, enriching, and fulfilling summer experience as a Mellon Arts Engagement Associate with the African American & African Studies Community Extension Centre (AAA CEC), affiliated with the Ohio State University’s Department of African American and African Studies.
While I was in Brisbane, Monica Stigler, my amazing mentor and supervisor for the Arts Engagement position at the CEC, who is full of brilliance and compassion, described her vision for the Black to Basics Podcast Project in an email and what she wants us to do this summer. We held our first in-person meeting on 21st May 2025, and I felt deeply attracted and inspired by the project. Initially envisioned as a two-episode pilot for production and release in Fall 2025, the project evolved after an impactful conversation during our first in-person meeting into a 24-episode series based on Ohio State University’s 10 Wellness Dimensions. Each episode dives into the real stories, struggles, strengths, cultural roots, daily victories, and bold aspirations framing the lives of historically marginalized groups in Columbus and beyond. The episodes are planned to feature diverse guests, including academics, business leaders, game-changers, professionals, policymakers, neighbors, and many more—offering knowledge, access to resources, and lived experience that provokes action and reflection. My summer supervisor, Monica, and I recently discussed plans to include a pop-up series for some selected episodes at the CEC to offer in-person real-time dialogue, cultural connection, and action-oriented engagement with issues in the episodes for our audience.
As a Mellon Arts Engagement Associate at the CEC during the summer, working collaboratively with Monica on the Black to Basics Podcast Project, I brainstormed episode titles, wrote taglines and trailers, and developed a Run of Show (RoS) Template for each episode. I was given the flexibility and trust to work innovatively on the project. The experience was not just practical; I found it transformative. Over the course of my summer engagement at the CEC, I met Monica every week on Tuesdays for in-person check-ins to discuss progress, problems, and future planning. Her guidance and regular support made CEC feel like home, not just an office. In fact, the CEC was more a community of belonging, creativity, and growth. Monica’s vision gave me the sense of the podcast as a movement, rather than merely a product. Podcast production involves several stages, and each episode draft will undergo a thorough review before the actual recording and publication. I can’t wait to see this great initiative grow into one of the most popular and important podcast shows, not just in Columbus but all over the U.S. and beyond. The best gift you can give someone these days is the right information that can open minds, create opportunities, and bring about lasting change. This is where Black to Basics steps in: a bold conversation about using knowledge to shift narratives and drive the change we all want to see in our society.
The dedication of others at the CEC inspired me beyond my direct work. Clancee made the space vibrant and supportive with her warmth, hospitality, and energy, creating an atmosphere where everyone felt welcome. Equally inspiring was Fatema, a fellow Mellon Arts Engagement Associate, whose work on a similarly impactful project reminded me of the power of shared purpose. Together, they made my summer engagement at CEC not just productive but truly thrilling. While my official engagement with the CEC comes to an end on 15th August, I will continue to support in whatever way I can to ensure that the foundation we laid together becomes a powerful channel through which lives are touched and voices are amplified. I was lucky to be on the CEC team this summer, where Monica and the team did great work. I eagerly anticipate maintaining my connection with CEC and actively participating in its inspiring work and activities.
The Mellon Arts Engagement Associates Cohort also met twice every month on Wednesday for interactive sessions led by our wonderful facilitators, Price Courtney and Maurice Stevens, where we shared experiences, exchanged ideas, and learned from one another in a supportive and inspiring environment. These regular sessions fostered a culture of community and collaboration that enriched the internship experience. We also participated in two career development workshops facilitated by Maddie Kindig from the ASC Career Success. These sessions were both empowering and tailored specifically to the unique needs of graduate students, covering essential career skills and strategies such as crafting a compelling, well-targeted résumé, CV, and cover letter, among others. For me, the Mellon Arts Engagement Associate position offered a comprehensive package. It gave me financial support, valuable work experience, meaningful connections with other cohorts and partner organizations (CEC), a great addition to my résumé, and career skills workshops that will help in my transition from the lecture theater to the competitive job market. I believe these positive experiences are equally true for the other 14 Mellon Arts Engagement Associates, each of whom did a fantastic job with their respective partner organizations. What else could I want for my first summer in the US as an international student? I sincerely hope that this summer internship program that teaches, changes, engages, and empowers will continue to be funded so it can keep helping other graduate students in the years to come. Its impacts are hard to put into words! I am truly grateful to the Mellon Foundation, my Mellon Arts Engagement mentor and supervisor, Monica Stigler, our wonderful Cohort Meeting facilitators, Price Courtney and Maurice Stevens, and the other 14 Mellon Arts Engagement Associates who worked with other partner organizations in Columbus in the summer. The collaboration, encouragement, and collective passion for community-based arts and scholarship made the summer not just a season but an odyssey of imagination, learning, and connection. As we part ways and carry these transformative experiences forward into our future work, I am deeply grateful and hopeful that the work we did with our respective organizations and the meaningful connections we made this summer will continue to ripple outward, inspiring new possibilities and opportunities for our personal and professional advancements.
ABOUT THE WRITER
Seiba Issifu is a PhD student in geography at The Ohio State University in Columbus, USA. His research critically investigates the contested socio-political dynamics of Ghana’s artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector. His research aims to provide empirically grounded and theoretically informed insights to inform equitable policy responses that balance economic livelihoods, just resource governance, and sustainable development in resource-rich contexts.
Before joining Ohio State, Seiba earned a bachelor’s degree in development studies with first-class honors and a Master of Philosophy degree in applied economics from the University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale, as well as a postgraduate diploma in geography education with distinction from the Catholic University of Ghana, Sunyani. He is the founder of Asco Publications, a registered book publishing firm in Ghana, as well as the author of eight books on geography, economics, study skills, and personal development, six of which have been approved by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment of Ghana Education Service and are widely used by high school and undergraduate students across West Africa.
Email: seiba@ascopublications.com or issifu.1@osu.edu or info@ascopublications.com
