11/08/2023

Activists Fight to Keep Every Building Standing at Ohio University

This is what SOAP aims to do on Athens campus

According to its website, Ohio University is home to more than 24,000 students who occupy 8 million gross square feet and more than 200 buildings. There are many old and historical buildings on campus, with the oldest being Cutler Hall, constructed in 1816. One group on campus is fighting to preserve these buildings to ensure many students can continue to enjoy them for years to come.

At the beginning of the fall of 2022 as a freshman, Taylor Connelly, a sophomore studying journalism, was inspired by her astronomy professor, Tom O'Grady, to start SOAP, or Society of Athens Preservation.

After a year as president, Connelly passed the baton to Max Baker, a sophomore studying environmental science. Connelly took on the role of vice president and devoted her time to the club’s newsletters. Baker works to keep SOAP on track with research, regular newsletters and the club’s Instagram account with posts about the school’s most historic buildings.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Post.