Assistant Director of University of Cincinnati’s Communiversity
It may be cold outside, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun outside of the house this winter. Britney Fightmaster is the assistant director of University of Cincinnati’s (UC) Communiversity, a program that allows anyone to take a variety of non-credit classes for their own enrichment and enjoyment. We asked Fightmaster to provide more insight into Communiversity and what it’s all about.
What is your specific role with Communiversity?
I oversee finding instructors. Instructors can be UC educators, experts and artisans from the Cincinnati area, or simply anyone who has an enthusiasm for a certain subject and has a certification for it. I help them [connect with marketing] and find different community members who would like to take their class. I also make sure that the classrooms are suitable and available. Everything is kind of taken care of up until the day when the professor or instructor comes in and teaches the classes.
What is something you think most people may not know about Communiversity?
That we offer so much, and that everything is always changing. If you look on the website one time, you have to keep coming back to see what’s new or sign up for our newsletter. Whether that be a class like Tai Chi for your body and soul, or a class specifically about how to manage your finances when you have a child with special needs, there are so many different things that we offer that can really help somebody who’s looking for a more niche subject. We want everyone to have something that they can both enjoy and learn from.
What do you love about the program?
There’s so much creativity in the community, and so many people that just come and do something they love and have an interest in. It’s the same with the UC students we have coming in. We have a lot of students looking to take a Spanish course that they’ve been searching for. They don’t want to go and spend thousands of dollars on a random program somewhere, they want to come to class at their beloved university and spend less than half of that price, and that’s something that we can do while making it accessible to everybody. UC students also get a discount on all Communiversity classes. Even UC alumni join as a fun way to continue to be a part of UC and take a class for fun or for professional development in their workplace. I love that Communiversity can do that.
What’s the most rewarding part about preparing for Communiversity?
Seeing the growth of the classes and finding new ways to advertise. We have about 1,030 students right now. For example, a lot of our upcoming classes are about learning a new language or how to manage your mindfulness at work. We’re trying to be as with society as possible and bringing things to Communiversity that people really need, and that’s always been really fun to research.
Why should people join Communiversity?
It’s right in our title—because we are a community. We’re open to anybody. You do not have to be a UC alumni or student. Communiversity is fun, enriching and can really benefit your career without having to pay a huge price. It’s giving back to the community because all the people who teach are community members as well.
