Reflecting on Impact: 2025 Year in Review & Looking Ahead to 2026
At the World Affairs Council of Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky, our mission is to connect our region to the world. As we gathered for our 2026 Annual Meeting, we took a moment to look back at a year defined by record-breaking engagement, meaningful cultural exchange, and a growing commitment to global education.
2025 Impact Report: A Year of Global Growth
In 2025, our community showed up in a big way to support global literacy and diplomacy. Here are some of the highlights of what we achieved together:
Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders
- Global Education Reach: We served over 15,000 students across the region, partnering with 39 education organizations.
- International Education Summit: Our 19th annual summit inspired over 200 students to take “glocal” action, providing high schoolers with the tools to make an impact in their own backyards. With a $1,000 global youth leaders scholarship in honor of Rich Lauf, 6 schools served over 1,000 students and 200+ volunteer hours.
- Global Literacy: Through our free book and holiday celebrations, we provided literature that reflected our diverse student body in the region, including books in native languages like Swahili.
Advancing People-to-People Diplomacy
- Professional Exchange (IVLP): We hosted 186 visitors from 64 different countries through the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program.
- Economic Impact: These exchanges brought $344,077 into the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky economy. For every $1 spent, the Council brought in $12 for the local region.
- Community Connections: Our dedicated community hosted 20 dinners for international delegates, totaling 215 hours of home hospitality and 89 meetings with local partners.
Celebrating Global Connections
- International Women’s Day: Our inaugural event was a sell-out success, where we honored Deborah Schultz with the Lifetime Recognition Award and heard from phenomenal local women leaders.
- One World Gala: The 12th Annual One World Gala & Global Trivia Competition raised $91,000 for education, supporting 30 different global education programs reaching over 15,000 students.
Honoring Our 2025 Award Winners
We are proud to recognize those who went above and beyond for our mission this year:
- Global Citizen of the Year: Rachel DesRochers
- Community Partner of the Year: Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
- School of the Year: Ignite Institute
- Volunteer of the Year: Morgan Miller
- Educator of the Year: Jim O’Connor (Princeton High School)
- Global Partner of the Year: Starrag
- Hospitality Hosts of the Year: Carol & Dick Fencl
Looking Ahead: What’s Coming in 2026
As we move into 2026, our focus remains on strengthening our connections within the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky region and continuing to change the world one conversation at a time.
Save the Date for 2026 Events:
- Feb. 25: From Cincinnati to the World: Revolutionary 3D Learning for the Blind
- Mar 10: International Women’s Day Networking Event
- Mar. 19: Covington Business Council March Luncheon with WAC as Non-Profit Spotlight
- Apr. 17: 13th Annual One World Gala & Global Trivia Competition
- June 8: Council Leadership Meeting (Open to the community).
- July 25-29: TechGirls Volunteer Opportunity (Host families and job sites needed!).
Thank you to our Board of Directors, sponsors, and volunteers for making this work possible. We look forward to another year of global impact in 2026
