Four graduate students from the College of Social Work at The Ohio State University and NASW Ohio Chapter Associate Director Danielle Smith attended a meeting with President Barack Obama and his senior staff at the White House in June. The students were invited because of their organizing “The Student Cafe: Conversations for Change” in Columbus. It was among the top 10 youth roundtables selected from 381 across the U.S.

The other members of the group were Colleen Dempsey, Emily Panzeri, Donna Ruch and Sarah Tarrant. Tarrant was selected to join representatives from the other nine selectees to personally meet with the president, pictured here. The Student Cafe brought students and lawmakers together to a roundtable discussion on budget-related issues within health and human services.