Senator Rob Portman Visits OCU, Speaks with Students

Senator Rob Portman Visits OCU, Speaks with Students

“I’m Rob Portman. I work for you.”

That’s how Senator Rob Portman introduced himself to a room full of community leaders, students, and press at Ohio Christian University this afternoon.

Ohio Christian University was pleased to welcome Sen. Rob Portman to campus today for a roundtable discussion on economic development and human trafficking awareness. Economic leaders from Fayette, Ross, Pickaway, and Franklin counties were present to discuss how the region’s role in business and workforce development is changing with the help of OCU.

Senator Portman also engaged in discussion with three OCU students — Natasha Hudnell, Orline Batista, and Emily Swedburg — about human trafficking awareness and the frontline work OCU is doing to prevent, combat, and provide aftercare for victims in this area and across the state.

“We don’t just sit at a roundtable and talk about [human trafficking]. We’re in the gutters,” said Ms. Hudnell, referring to the work OCU students do by ministering to trafficking victims at truck stops and strip clubs.

Senator Portman’s passion for ending human trafficking and promoting awareness was obvious. He mentioned the three pieces of bipartisan legislation that he authored or co-authored, as well as his founding of the Senate Caucus to End Human Trafficking.

During his visit with Dr. Dave Garrison’s Business and Government class, Sen. Portman applauded OCU for combining Business and Government into a single program mentioning that there need to be more people in Washington who understand business.

For more information on OCU’s Business and Government program, click here.