This webinar was led by Christopher Merrett, Director and Professor in the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA) at Western Illinois University and Anne Hlavacka, Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation (CEI) as well as the Wisconsin Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Our presenters discussed rural civic engagement and trends in rural communities while addressing what makes rural communities appealing to university partnerships, combining classroom experience with experiential learning. They spoke about the unique opportunities available in rural communities and current trends in rural communities and how colleges and universities can support growth strategies. They also discussed how we can leverage existing resources (grants, programs, etc.) that would support campus/community partnerships or that could support community growth and accessing those resources.

Download the webinar slides below.

Slides by Anne Hlavacka.

Slides by Christopher Merrett.