May - The Power of Soccer and Integrating Immigrants into our Community

“For as long as I can remember I have wanted to play soccer and study over here in America,” says Liam Heard, a student at Otterbein University and immigrant from New Zealand. When Otterbein gave him the opportunity to do that, he quickly seized the chance and moved to Westerville, Ohio from the other side of the world. Liam shortly realized how welcome he felt in Westerville, and recognized in his privileged position that he could ensure other New Americans feel just as welcome and integrated.

Liam is now able to do this as the most recent recipient of the Vernon L. Pack fellowship. This fellowship award was created in 2006 to help Otterbein students explore their unique projects designed meet a community-based need -- in fact, fellowship has provided Liam the opportunity to work with CRIS’s mentorship program, Community Connectors.

This summer, Liam will begin working with Community Connectors and their soccer program to explain how sports increase social capital for New Americans. Liam explains that this social capital refers to the relationships New Americans can build with members of their new community. The goal of his research is to build an even more welcoming community in Westerville, an area Liam is personally familiar with, but that also houses many immigrants in the area. Liam also hopes to bring attention to the issues that immigrants commonly face when they immigrate, to hopefully distinguish the problems and create an even more welcoming experience.

Liam as a soccer player himself, envisions that participating in the sport with the young immigrants and their mentors will allow him to conduct the best interviews for his research. Liam says, “when playing soccer all barriers are broken down and we are equal.” Liam believes that his roots as a soccer player and an immigrant will prompt a unique perspective of the research.

Make sure to follow us on social media (@crisohio) for updates about Liam and his research throughout the next year!