The Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement improves the lives of Hoosiers through collaborative initiatives that discover and deploy scalable and flexible solutions to common challenges facing rural communities. Working in full-spectrum community innovation through research, community-engaged teaching, and student service, the center builds vision, harnesses assets and cultivates sustainable leadership structures within the communities with which it engages to ensure long-term success.
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This a mid-day panel discussion on substance use disorder in rural communities features William Cooke, MD, a Scott County physician and author of Canary in a Coal…
2022 IU Rural Conference: Addictions and…
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Denny Spinner, Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs executive director and former mayor of Huntingburg, will convene a panel of mayors including Mayor Treva…
2022 IU Rural Conference: Leading Hoosier…
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This morning session features opening remarks from IU Executive Vice President and Provost Rahul Shrivastav. A conversation with Governor Eric Holcomb and IU Center…
2022 IU Rural Conference: Opening Remarks and a…
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IU Center for Rural Engagement Executive Director Kerry Thomson opens the second day of the IU Rural Conference. Jack Hess, executive director of CivicLab, on the topic…
2022 IU Rural Conference: Opening Remarks and…
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This morning session brought participants together for breakfast and keynote remarks from Ross DeVol, president and CEO of Heartland Forward. A national institute for…
2023 IU Rural Conference Day 2 Keynote and…
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A new initiative launched by the Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement will help rural Indiana communities host arts and cultural events and activities related…
2023 IU Rural Conference Eclipse Announcement
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Antoniette Holt, director of minority health at the Indiana Department of Health, offered keynote remarks on health equity issues in Indiana. Click on the attachments…
2023 IU Rural Conference Remarks from Antoniette…
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Carrie Docherty, IU Bloomington vice provost for faculty and academic affairs highlighted IU and community partnerships and looked ahead to IU's 2030 plan, which…
2023 IU Rural Conference Remarks from Carrie…
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Participants joined us for a mid-day conversation on the topic of creating inclusive communities. Speakers include Evelyn Rivas, ALASI; Rossina Sandoval, Southwest…
2023 IU Rural Conference Remarks from Creating…
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Kerry Thomson, executive director of the Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement opens day two of the 2023 IU Rural Conference.Click on the attachments tab to…
2023 IU Rural Conference Remarks from Kerry…
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Participants joined us for a mid-day panel discussion on mental health and substance use disorder in Indiana. Panelists included Jay Chaudhary, Indiana Division of…
2023 IU Rural Conference Remarks from Mental…
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This morning session brought participants together for breakfast and keynote remarks from Ross DeVol, president and CEO of Heartland Forward. A national institute for…
2023 IU Rural Conference Remarks from Ross DeVol
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Ashton Potter-Wright, DrPH, from University of Kentucky shares a morning keynote address at the 2024 Indiana Uplands Winter Food Summit, hosted by IU Food and Agrarian…
2024 Indiana Uplands Winter Food Summit Keynote…
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Denise Jamerson, Farmer and Owner of Legacy Taste of the Garden, shares an afternoon keynote address at the 2024 Indiana Uplands Winter Food Summit, hosted by IU Food…
2024 Indiana Uplands Winter Food Summit Keynote…
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Join IU Center for Rural Engagement staff for a conversation about the 2025 Rural Placemaking Studio, provided in partnership with Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture +…
2025 Rural Placemaking Studio Info Webinar
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This session equips local leaders, volunteers, and community organizations with the knowledge and resources needed to apply for the Rural Placemaking Studio and enhance…
2026 Rural Placemaking Studio Info Webinar
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Learn more about the ways our natural landscapes are encouraging residents to explore our region, increase their physical activity, travel between communities, and learn…
Activating Natural Spaces for Community…
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Learn more about the prevalence and impact of adverse experiences among low socio-economic status mothers on the outcomes of their children based on survey data. During…
Addressing Adversity in Rural Communities: The…
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Learn about feasible alternatives for mental health care in rural Indiana. Recommended models will address barriers to mental health care common in rural areas,…
Addressing Gaps in Rural Mental Health Care |…
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Tuesday 9 June 2020, 11am-12pm EST (10-11am CST)Join us this June for a webinar with Orange County's Lost River Market and Deli in Paoli to hear about some new…
Aggregating and Distributing Produce with Lost…
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Join Jay Chaudhary and Rachel Halleck, director and chief of staff of the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction, for a discussion about the new state strategy…
Behavioral Health in Indiana: Impacts of COVID…
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Through strategic planning, arts programming, and public space activation, IU arts administration students and faculty are helping rural communities thrive. From the…
Bolstering Creative Foundations Through Capacity…
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The Indiana University Jacobs School of Music is reshaping the educational landscape through deep, meaningful partnerships with local schools. From collaborative…
Bridging Communities Through Arts in Education
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Learn about innovative approaches to arts-education outreach and creative solutions to bridge the rural broadband gap for K-12 students. We will examine the Eskenazi…
Bridging Outsider-Insider Dynamics when…
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Learn about innovative approaches to arts-education outreach and creative solutions to bridge the rural broadband gap for K-12 students. We will examine the Eskenazi…
Bridging the Rural Education Gap with High…
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We will examine a community-based program led by the Eskenazi Museum of Art that explores pairing art therapy and arts integration to foster parent-child attachment for…
Building Parent-Child Attachment Through…
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Learn more about initiatives to strengthen our sense of community and resilience through creative activity during difficult times. Follow award-winning poet and Provost…
Building Resilience Through Writing: A Free…
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Community Conversations is an interactive discussion about resources and topics that impact rural Indiana communities. Join us for this session where we will discuss…
Community Conversation: Substance Use Disorder…
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Community Conversations is an interactive discussion about resources and topics that impact rural Indiana communities. Join us for this session where we will discuss…
Community Conversations: Strengthening Arts and…
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Based on local health assessment data, community health improvement plans (CHIPs) help communities set goals to meet a range of health objectives, from addressing gaps…
Community Health Improvement Planning | Indiana…
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This year, the Indiana Uplands Food Network launched in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and with several critical initiatives that bolster local resilience. We will…
Community-led Food Systems Projects | Indiana…
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Food insecurity is all too common among older adults age 65+ in the U.S. and is highest in rural places. One in five food insecure households includes an older adult. In…
Complex Food Provisioning Strategies and Food…
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The IU School of Public Health-Bloomington and the Center for Rural Engagement are helping southern Indiana residents connect to the services they need to live healthier…
Connecting Residents to Resources with…
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Classical music and community spirit come together in powerful ways. Through initiatives like ChamberFest and partnerships with Indiana University’s Jacobs School…
Creating Harmony Through Community Programming
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Tuesday 7 April 2020, 11am-12pm EST (10-11am CST)Jordan van Everdingen presented on Local Line, a web platform for creating virtual farm markets. Your local online…
Creating Virtual Farm Markets with Local Line |…
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Explore the development of a new initiative, Creative Arts for Vets (CAV), a partnership between the Eskenazi Museum of Art and the Center for Rural Engagement. Learn…
Creative Arts for Vets | 2021 Indiana University…
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Dr. Keitlyn Alcantara, an anthropological bioarcheologist in the Department of Anthropology at Indiana University—Bloomington, will led us through how foodways can…
Cultivating Community Comfort Foods
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Dr. Keitlyn Alcantara, an anthropological bioarcheologist in the Department of Anthropology at Indiana University—Bloomington, will led us through how foodways can…
Cultivating Community Comfort Foods
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Attendees of the 2024 IU Rural Conference joined us for a lunchtime panel session recognizing innovative rural partnerships in health, and table conversations with…
Day 1 Lunch Panel | 2024 IU Rural Conference
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The 2024 IU Rural Conference opened with remarks from Center for Rural Engagement interim executive director Denny Spinner, followed by a keynote address from State…
Day 1 Opening Remarks and Keynote Address | 2024…
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The 2025 IU Rural Conference morning session brought participants together for breakfast and opening remarks from Center for Rural Engagement interim executive director…
Day 1 Opening Remarks | 2025 IU Rural Conference
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During lunch, five exceptional individuals were recognized by the IU Center for Rural Engagement for their significant contributions to rural communities across…
Day 1 Rural Impact Awards and Lunch Session |…
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Participants joined us for lunch and a panel discussion on rural arts.
Day 2 Lunch Panel | 2024 IU Rural Conference
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Rural organizing and resilience in the face of disasterRural Organizing and Resilience (ROAR) formed in Madison County, North Carolina in the Spring of 2017 in…
Day 2 Lunch Panel | 2025 IU Rural Conference
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On day two of the 2024 IU Rural Conference, attendees joined together for breakfast and opening remarks from IU Vice President for University Relations Michael Huber.…
Day 2 Opening Remarks and Keynote Address | 2024…
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Embracing Eros: How Artists Help Us Fall in Love (With Rural Places) This morning session brought participants together for breakfast and a keynote speech from Ash…
Day 2 Opening Remarks and Keynote Address | 2025…
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Opening remarksKerry Thomson, Executive Director, Center for Rural EngagementKerry Thomson leads the Center for Rural Engagement's efforts to improve the lives of…
Day One Opening Remarks and Keynote Address |…
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Opening remarksLauren Robel, Executive Vice President and Provost, Indiana University Bloomington Lauren Robel was named provost of Indiana University Bloomington and…
Day Two Opening Remarks and Keynote Address |…
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Janet Delong, adjunct professor with the IU School of Public Health and recent MSW graduate, shares her final thoughts on her participation in the "From Stigma to…
Do you have any closing thoughts?
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Click on the attachments tab for documents related to the presentation.Bridget Anderson and Meagan Heber hosted a workshop on IHCDA CreatINg Places grant guidelines,…
Effective Fundraising for Public Spaces | Rural…
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In 2020, Traditional Arts Indiana (TAI) published Memory, Art, and Aging, a resource and activity guide for older adults living in southern Indiana. This presentation…
Elevating Our Art Heritage: Traditional Arts…
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Led by passionate educators and artists, creative writing and storytelling workshops invite rural participants of all ages to reflect, connect, and reimagine their…
Empowering Rural Voices Through Creative Writing
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Learn how to decrease and end stigma by increasing your knowledge and understanding about mental illness, substance use disorders, and stigma. Through this webinar,…
Ending Stigma: A Webinar
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Health insurance can serve as both a pathway and an impediment to care. In this session, we discuss the ways health insurance impacts access to care and tested solutions…
Expanding Access to Healthcare in Rural…
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For rural residents, geography, transportation, and language can present challenges to navigating their own care. Learn how these factors impede access to care and…
Expanding Access to Healthcare in Rural…
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Examine the status of Indiana’s healthcare provider shortage and how it is affecting access to care, particularly for rural residents. Learn how healthcare…
Expanding Access to Healthcare in Rural…
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Strong partnerships are essential for the successful coordination of locally grown food for food as medicine programming. Partners are essential and necessarily focus on…
Farm to Health: Exploring How Locally Grown Food…
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"Food apartheid looks at the whole food system, along with race, geography, faith, and economics." - Karen Washington The facts are that if you are Black or…
Food Apartheid Panel
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Sarah Wilson of Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana lead a discussion around how limited access to nutritious foods and poor health outcomes intersect and how healthcare…
Food is Medicine: Exploring New Leverage Points…
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Presentation 1 | Mapping SNAP and SNAP Matching Programs at Indiana Farmers Markets—Barriers and Opportunities for Growth Presentation of data from 107 Indiana…
Food Policy
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Presentation 1 | Cooperative Supported Agriculture: The 'Extra' Work of Food Cooperatives, Politics and Accountability of Food System Actors Cooperative…
Food Politics and Responsibility
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Tuesday 21 April, 11am-12pm EST (10-11am CST)This week we discussed best safety practices for Farmers' Markets, whether in-person or online, during this time of…
Food Safety Best Practices | Indiana Uplands Food…
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Presentation 1 | People: The Answer to Alleviating Food Insecurity Merlin Gonzales is the Founder and President of Faith, Hope and Love Community, Inc. His passion to…
Food Security and Access
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Presentation 1 | Grow-a-Row in East Central Indiana We will present information about project's pilot year in 2022, results, plans for 2023 continuation to create…
Food Security and Production
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Presentation 1 | The Elephant Gardens: Our Story So what is the B.I.G. F.O.O.D. Project? B.I.G. represents Black Independent Growers. F.O.O.D. represents Farmers…
Food Stories and Cultures
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Presentation 1 | Simply Indiana: Aggregating Local Produce for School Meals With the support of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Wild Pansy Farm is creating…
Food Supply Chains
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James Farmer from Indiana University presents on his research with Indiana Christmas tree growers and consumers, exploring the challenges of an increasingly competitive…
Growing Christmas Trees in Indiana | Indiana…
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Get an update on regional development efforts in the Indiana Uplands and have an opportunity to share your own insights. Learn about notable indicators of progress and…
Growing Regional Partnerships in the Indiana…
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In this presentation, Victoria walks us through the programming of Growing Places Indy and its focus on youth and food equity within their community. Throughout the…
Healing Community Trauma Through Food
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The Uplands Maker Mobile brings maker ideas, pedagogical knowledge, materials and tools out to schools and organizations in the Uplands Region, including primarily rural…
Hitting the Streets: Getting Started with the…
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Creative placemaking transforms overlooked spaces into vibrant community landmarks. Projects like Heritage Park in Salem, Indiana, highlight the power of public art,…
Honoring Heritage and Inspiring Futures Through…
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Communities rely on quality, affordable housing to attract new residents and retain families who have local roots. The Center for Rural Development recently launched a…
Hoosier Housing Ready Toolkit | Indiana…
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IU junior Nate Carey, Hamiltunes performer, shares how he personally relates to the Hamilton characters.“Hamiltunes”, a sing-along rendition of Lin-Manuel…
How do you personally relate to the Hamilton…
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Join us for this free discussion, open to the public, to learn more about resources that support conversations about substance use disorder and interventions that fit…
In This Together: Addressing Substance Use…
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Discuss the ways we as a region and state can tell a comprehensive story of our history through the development of a heritage trail that is inclusive to all backgrounds,…
Indiana's Heritage Trails: Mapping Our…
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Carrie Carson from ACEnet in Athens, OH presented about a number of local initiatives addressing access to healthy, local, and affordable food in rural, Southeastern…
Innovations in Rural Food Access | Indiana…
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This session shares key insights from the Indiana Arts Commission’s work at the intersection of arts and Main Street revitalization.
IU Rural Placemaking Studio Webinar Series:…
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This session welcomed Brian Smith, director of communications and multimedia, from the City of Charlestown, Indiana, to discuss a recent collaboration with the IU…
IU Rural Placemaking Studio Webinar Series: How…
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This session welcomes Sarina Otaibi, program director at Activate Rural, and Luwaina Al-Otaibi, program director at The YES! House, both initiatives of the Department of…
IU Rural Placemaking Studio Webinar Series: The…
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This session will welcome Megan Telligman, director of programs from Indiana Humanities, to discuss ways that communities can collaborate with Indiana Humanities on…
IU Rural Placemaking Studio Webinar Series: Ways…
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In this webinar, Amandula Anderson, of IFF Real Estate Solutions, walks us through:Assessing opportunities and access to capital Understanding asset-based community…
Leveraging Capital to Expand Your Reach - an…
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Pete Huff, co-Director of the Wallace Center and IU O’Neill School alum, shared about the Pasture Project work in the Mississippi watershed, including the Blue…
Leveraging Livestock for Local, State and…
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Jane Ellery, an expert on public spaces and sustainable design, explored placemaking strategies and tactics for stakeholder and municipal involvement through examples…
Maintaining Public Places through Sustainable…
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Tuesday 12 May 2020, 11am-12pm EST (10-11am CST)This month, we welcomed Josh Gruver, from the Muncie Food Hub Partnership, to talk about the mobile farmers market they…
Mobile Farmers' Markets | Indiana Uplands…
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Tuesday 14 April, 11am-12pm EST (10-11am CST)The People’s Market in Bloomington shared their model for an equitable, creative market CSA model they are…
Multi-Farm CSA Model | Indiana Uplands Food…
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Community Compass™ is a free, quick, and easy way to help people find food assistance in their community. Available as a mobile app, website, and texting service,…
Navigating Food Security with Community…
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A study completed (pre-COVID) showed rural homebound older adults in parts of south central Indiana have higher depression and loneliness rates compared to the national…
One is the loneliest number: Loneliness and…
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The opening session of the 2021 Indiana University Rural Conference brought participants together to learn more about recent initiatives and hear from our guest keynote…
Opening Session and Keynote-Day 1 | 2021 Indiana…
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This session brought together participants together to learn more about recent initiatives and hear from our guest keynote speaker.Opening remarksKerry Thomson, IU…
Opening Session and Keynote-Day 2 | 2021 Indiana…
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Indiana has the 39th highest teen birthrate in the United States and the teen birthrate in rural communities typically exceeds the State's rate. Project UNITE…
Project Unite | Indiana University Rural…
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Tuesday 28 April, 11am-12pm EST (10-11am CST)Kyla Cox Deckard, from IU's Center for Rural Engagement, led us through an overview of social media and other…
Promoting Food on Social Media | Indiana Uplands…
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In Brown County, Indiana, local artists, writers, and musicians are building a vibrant cultural scene through events like ChamberFest and community writing workshops.…
Quality of Place Community Spotlight: Brown…
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In Huntingburg, Indiana, the 4th Fridays festival series, sparked by a collaboration with Indiana University, has transformed a downtown park into a hub of cultural…
Quality of Place Community Spotlight:…
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In Paoli, Indiana, residents are blending tradition with innovation to shape a thriving future. From transforming a historic tomato factory into a creative hub to…
Quality of Place Community Spotlight: Paoli,…
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In Washington County, Indiana, local leaders, artists, and residents, supported by Indiana University’s Center for Rural Engagement, are revitalizing their…
Quality of Place Community Spotlight: Washington…
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The American Rescue Plan (ARP) provides a unique opportunity for governments, regional organizations, and nonprofits to infuse new resources into their priority…
Regionalism and the Recovery Act | 2021 Indiana…
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We will discuss challenges facing rural Indiana's drinking water and opportunities to address them. Panelists will speak to variation in natural water quality,…
Rural Indiana's Drinking Water: Problems and…
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Do you and your family have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine? This virtual panel discussion covers:How current vaccines and those in development work in the fight…
Rural Indiana’s Shot: A COVID-19 Vaccine…
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This webinar shares an overview and answers questions about the Rural Placemaking Studio hosted by the Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement and Eskenazi School…
Rural Placemaking Studio Informational Webinar
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Join the IU Center for Rural Engagement's Rural Placemaking Studio for insightful conversations featuring experts, practitioners, and leaders passionate about…
Rural Placemaking Studio Webinar Series:…
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Celebrating the story of arts and culture and its connection to economic development with both urban, rural, and suburban perspectives. This session will inform…
Sense of Place: Arts and Rural Economic…
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Karen Mitchell from Purdue University presents about her work with Grow Local, an organization in Lafayette, IN dedicated to strengthening communities and enhancing…
Sharing the Labor, Sharing the Love:…
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The number of identified sexually exploited youth in Indiana has risen in recent years, increasing since COVID-19 started. Community Engagement to End Child Sexual…
Students & Communities Tackling Tough Topics:…
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Discover how to be the next Sustaining Hoosier Communities (SHC) partner community!Each year, SHC partners one rural community with Indiana University faculty, staff,…
Sustaining Hoosier Communities Information Session
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Sustaining Hoosier Communities partners local communities with Indiana University faculty, students, and staff to improve and enrich the health, prosperity, and vitality…
Sustaining Hoosier Communities: Strengthening…
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Learn about the results of a recent study of local teen food insecurity, highlighting the prevalence, experiences, coping mechanisms, and teens' ideas for solutions…
Teen Food Insecurity in Southern Indiana | 2021…
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IU junior Nate Carey describes his experience performing Hamiltunes.“Hamiltunes”, a sing-along rendition of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 2015 musical…
Tell us about your experience performing…
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When is a pizza no longer a pizza? The answer has nothing to do with pineapple! It has everything to do with ingredients, preparation, and sourcing. Join Michael S.…
The Dangers of Ultra-Processed Foods and the…
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Let’s listen to women who are farming in Indiana. Join us on Weds, Feb 9, to hear from women who are farming in Indiana. This panel builds off the Hoosier Young…
The Future (of Farming) is Female Panel
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The Indiana Uplands host thousands of caves, sinkholes, and springs; all part of an iconic karst landscape that hosts important groundwater resources, ecosystems for…
The Value of Caves to the Natural Environment of…
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In episode 95, Dean Shanahan and Sustaining Hoosier Communities Director Jane Rogan talk about how her team addresses community-identified needs and opportunities by…
Through the Gates Episode 95: Sustaining Hoosier…
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Local farmer and activist, Lauren McCalister, guides workshop participants through how to use the Decolonizing Wealth Toolkit to reimagine and repair the local food…
Through the Looking Glass of Anti-Racism:…
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This presentation first overviews the key concepts behind a trauma-informed approach to nutrition security. Then, we consider tensions within food security initiatives -…
Trauma-Informed Basics in Food Security…
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Trauma-informed care has emerged and developed in response to an awareness of the pervasiveness of human adversity and trauma. Guided by five principles, trauma-informed…
Trauma-Informed Care: An Online Community…
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Indiana University is partnering with the Center for Rural Engagement to aid cities, towns, and counties as they complete the Hoosier Resilience Index (HRI) Readiness…
Using the Hoosier Resilience Index to Ensure the…
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Voces Vivas: The Heartbeat of ALASI is a powerful documentary chronicling the inspiring story of ALASI (Asociación Latinoamericana del Sur de Indiana), a…
Voces Vivas: The Heartbeat of ALASI
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Traditional arts are enriching lives and strengthening community bonds across Indiana. Through initiatives like the Memory, Art, and Aging guide and events at historic…
Weaving Memory and Meaning Through Traditional…
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This informative video explores the meaning of rural, highlighting demographics, economic and cultural characteristics, and the unique strengths and challenges facing…
What is Rural?
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An addendum to the What is Rural video, this video introduces best practices for engaging with Amish and Mennonite communities.
What is Rural? A focus on Amish and Mennonite…
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