The Athens County Convention and Visitors Bureau has introduced a program to encourage Ohio University students to explore the area’s attractions that extend beyond campus.
The program, called Bobcats in Athens, features places in the county with notable history, natural beauty and local enterprise, said Paige Alost, executive director of the Athens County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“The idea really came from talking with students and realizing that many didn’t know much about Athens,” Alost said. “OU students have the potential to be visitors for the rest of their lives and we want to make sure that they form a lasting relationship with Athens.”
The majority of the locations are free to low-cost and are easily accessible either by public transportation or bike paths, Alost said.
Erica Johnston, a senior studying restaurants, hotels and tourism, is working with the agency as an intern while she blogs about the locations as she visits them.
“Most students do not stray from OU’s campus and Uptown so we wanted to show them that Athens has more to offer,” Johnston said.
Included in the list of attractions are the Athens Farmers Market; Uptown dining and shopping; the 30 Mile Meal Program; the HockHocking Adena Bikeway; the Kennedy Museum of Art; the Dairy Barn Arts Center; ARTS/West; Strouds Run State Park; The Ridges; and the county’s two geotrails.
“The Athens Farmers Market is the classic Athens experience … Whether you have one dollar in your pocket or fifty, there is something for you there,” Alost said. “Passion Works is truly the spirit of the community. The (Kennedy) museum is the little jewel of Athens.”
Chelsie Huffman, a freshman studying English and philosophy, said that attaining a varied college experience depends partly on how deeply students interact with local attractions.
“I think it’s a very good idea to get students acquainted with the city of Athens, apart from OU, because acquiring an awareness of the surrounding community is essential for having a well-rounded college experience,” she said.
“If they don’t, a lot of students could miss out on new and exciting experiences that are just outside the OU limits, just like Passion Works, which I’ve heard great things about and really want to check it out myself,” Huffman added.
The goal of the project is to encourage students to explore Athens and to shop and dine at local businesses. It is no mystery that there is more to Athens than just OU and Court Street, and this program will help students discover it.
“Bobcats in Athens will hopefully develop a mutually beneficial relationship (between) the students and the community. … By exploring Athens beyond OU, students will be able to appreciate the uniqueness of the town, possibly feeling even more connected to OU than before,” said Johnston.
cw105510@ohiou.edu
