Daviess County is approximately 40 miles southwest of the IU Bloomington campus. It is part of the regional home to NSA Crane, the third largest naval installation in the world, and WestGate@Crane Technology Park. A diverse community, Daviess County is home to the state’s second-largest Haitian population, the seventh-largest Amish settlement in the nation, and a growing Hispanic community. Agricultural and industrial businesses such as Perdue Farms Inc., Grain Processing Corp., Olon Industries, M&C Tech, and Boyd and Sons Machinery employ local residents.
With a population of 33,381, Daviess County communities include Washington, Odon, Elnora, Montgomery, Plainville, Cannelburg, Alfordsville, and Raglesville. The county will be the sixth community to partner with the Center for Rural Engagement on the Sustaining Hoosier Communities initiative.
Daviess County
Daviess County to expand IU partnerships with Sustaining Hoosier Communities initiative
Indiana University and Daviess County are expanding their community development collaboration with the Center for Rural Engagement's Sustaining Hoosier Communities initiative.
Sustaining Hoosier Communities will be able to pair local projects with students to have a great impact, and it will be satisfying to see these projects identified and implemented in all areas of Daviess County.
David Rhoads, Mayor, Washington, IN
Projects
With Daviess County’s rich cultural diversity, the Washington Carnegie Public Library would like to engage immigrant communities with meaningful support and engage neighbors in cultural education and foreign language conversation skills.
To reach this goal, they are partnering with the IU Center for Caribbean and Latin American Studies to develop school and library staff trainings, virtual English language classes, and an international night at the library event.
Community Partner
- Washington Carnegie Public Library
IU Instructor
- Sonia Manriquez, Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies
IU Partner
- IU Center for Caribbean and Latin American Studies
Because the City of Washington seal has not been updated in many years, the mayor is interested in exploring the development of a new city seal.
Guided by faculty from the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design, the city will team up with graphic design students to produce renderings of a new city seal.
Community Partner
- City of Washington
IU Instructor
- Francois Gagnier, Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design
Project Course
- SOAD-S450/550 Professional Practice
To enhance the city's image and provide useful information to both residents and visitors, the city will partner with the IU Rural Placemaking Studio to work with comprehensive and graphic design students to design and fabricate new welcome signage. This signage will serve as one of several gateways to the community and reflect an updated aesthetic that matches the town’s progress and creative innovation.
Community Partner
- Discover Downtown Washington
IU Instructors
- Jon Racek, Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design
- Beth Huffman, Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design
IU Partner
- Rural Placemaking Studio
In partnership with the Indiana Landmarks Black Heritage Preservation Program, this project will mobilize IU history students to collect stories of Washington Indiana’s Black history, through audio and video recordings, and identify and celebrate historic African American sites in the community through the collection of historic images.
Community Partner
- Indiana Landmarks Black Heritage Preservation Program
IU Instructor
- Lessie Jo Frazier, College of Arts + Sciences
Project Course
- AMST-A201 Feeding America
Public libraries are critical gathering places in our rural communities. As such, libraries in Daviess County are exploring the opportunity to offer lifelong learning classes and presentations to community members in Daviess County libraries through IU’s Discovery Café program.
Community Partners
- Odon Winkelpleck Public Library
- Washington Carnegie Public Library
IU Partner
- Discovery Café
Cross-dock and transload facilities play a crucial role in streamlining logistics and transportation of goods across networks. Daviess County has built a transload facility on four sidetracks near its shell building. To plan for the ownership and management of the operation, the Daviess County Economic Development Foundation is working with students from the Kelley School of Business to develop a business plan and associated business and finance systems.
Community Partner
- Daviess County Economic Development Corporation
IU Instructors
- Chris Cook, Kelley School of Business
- Brett Levitt, Kelley School of Business
Project Course
- BUS-A 569 Field Consulting
Development along interstate exits is a specialized enterprise. Daviess County seeks to understand what kinds of commercial ventures or other development would benefit the area.
To realize maximum development value, students from the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs and the Kelley School of Business will work to develop a land use and feasibility report along with a one-page prospectus.
Community Partner
- Daviess County Economic Development Corporation
IU Instructors
- Mitch Berg, O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs
- Keith Dayton, Kelley School of Business
- Doug McCoy, Kelley School of Business
Project Courses
- SPEA-L622 Local Economic Development
- IU Center for Real Estate Studies in the Kelley School of Business
To offer an inclusive resource guide to newcomers to the area, the City of Washington will work with public relations students to create a digital welcome packet. This packet will be available in multiple languages and feature relocation and community resource information.
Community Partner
- City of Washington
IU Instructor
- Matt Guschwan, The Media School
Project Course
- MSCH-R349 Public Relations Writing
Comprehensive design students from the IU Rural Placemaking Studio will collaborate with the Discover Downtown Washington design committee to create an interactive photo-op station at the new "Welcome to Washington" mural on Main Street. The station will encourage visitors to interact with the mural and explore the historic downtown area. The city also will work with IU students to seek funding sources to support the creation of the photo-op station.
Community Partner
- Daviess County Economic Development Corporation
- Discover Downtown Washington design committee
IU Instructors
- Jon Racek, Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design
- Beth Huffman, Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design
- Laura Littlepage, O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs
Project Course
- Rural Placemaking Studio
- SPEA-V481 Grant Writing
The community is seeking analytical insight into daycare issues in Daviess County. They hope to use this information to help the county develop local programs and incentives, establish more accredited daycares, and encourage more people to rejoin the workforce.
IU students will create a report on local, state, and federal policy that relates to childcare support and workforce capacity and includes recommendations for Daviess County and other partners.
Community Partners
- Daviess County Economic Development Corporation
- Daviess County Community Foundation
IU Instructors
- Kyla Cox Deckard, Political and Civic Engagement Program
- Deborah Getz, School of Public Health
Project Courses
- PACE-C250 Leadership and Public Policy
- SPH-F180 Intro to Child and Youth Work
Odon is a small rural town that has expanded its library district to include all of North Daviess County. Odon Winkelpleck Public Library is in a favorable position to provide accessible healthcare for local individuals who struggle to get the professional help they need.
Public health students will survey and interview Odon Library patrons about healthcare accessibility and research opportunities to leverage library space for accessible health services.
Community Partner
- Odon Winkelpleck Public Library
IU Instructor
- Priscilla Barnes, School of Public Health
Project Course
- SPH-H482/582 Research in Health Promotion
Washington, Indiana, would like to document its rich and diverse history by highlighting local people and places of significance.
To reach this goal, the city will work with IU students to seek funding sources to support the creation of a downtown history trail. The IU Rural Placemaking Studio will design renderings for information placards featuring historical descriptors. History students will draft content for the informational placards.
Community Partner
- Discover Downtown Washington design committee
IU Instructors
- Laura Littlepage, O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs
- Jon Racek, Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design
- Beth Huffman, Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design
- Lessie Frazier, College of Arts + Sciences
Project Courses
- SPEA-V481 Grant Writing
- AMST-A Hoosier Heartland
- Rural Placemaking Studio
Over 100 years ago, renowned sculptor Ira A. Correll donated a life-sized sculpture of Abraham Lincoln to Odon's city park.
To honor his work, the town will partner with IU art history students to apply for a historical marker from the Indiana Historical Bureau to recognize his work.
Community Partner
- Town of Odon
IU Instructors
- Melody Deusner, College of Arts + Sciences
Project Courses
- ARTH-A446 American Art 1865-1945
The City of Washington and Discover Downtown Washington would like to learn what improvements can be made to their websites so that they are accessible for all.
Students in the IU Serve IT clinic will conduct a comprehensive accessibility review of their websites and offer recommendations for improving user accessibility.
Community Partner
- City of Washington and Discover Downtown Washington
IU Partner
- Laurie Burns McRobbie Serve IT Clinic
Montgomery's Main Street is a vital hub for the town, home to thriving businesses, the fire station, and the post office. The town would like a strategic plan to guide the street's future beautification.
To achieve this goal, comprehensive design students will create renderings of various elements to enhance the street’s beauty, including bump outs, murals, and more.
Community Partner
- Town of Montgomery
IU Instructor
- Beth Huffman, Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design
Project Course
- SOAAD-C280 Introduction to Comprehensive Design Studio
Washington has a thriving immigrant population. The community partner would like to establish a resource center connected to the county health department that would serve the needs of neighbors who are new to the community.
Students from the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs will develop a strategic plan to implement and sustain the center.
Community Partner
- Daviess County Economic Development Corporation
IU Instructor
- Laura Littlepage, O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs
Project Course
- SPEA-V551 SPEA Connect Week
The Town of Odon seeks funding to implement plans to install two new pickleball courts.
Students will advance this goal by identifying funding sources and preparing grant applications for the pickleball courts.
Community Partner
- Town of Odon
IU Instructor
- Laura Littlepage, O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs
Project Course
- SPEA-V481 Grant Writing
The Town of Montgomery is seeking funding to repair and improve its sidewalks, with the goal of enhancing its downtown area.
The town will partner with the Indiana Resilience Funding Hub to identify and apply for funding opportunities.
Community Partner
- Town of Montgomery
IU Partner
- Indiana Resilience Funding Hub
The Town of Elnora would like to enhance the interior of its town hall and the greenspace surrounding it.
Led by faculty from the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design, students will collaborate with the town to create a strategic design plan for Elnora Town Hall.
Community Partner
- Town of Elnora
IU Instructor
- R. Spencer Steenblik, Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design
Project Course
- SOAD-C381 Topical Issues in Collaborative Design
To link visitors with attractions and important local sites, the City of Washington is seeking locally inspired roadside signage across the city.
Students from the IU Rural Placemaking Studio will work to create graphic designs and fabrication-ready renderings of roadside signage unique to Washington, Indiana.
Community Partner
- Discover Downtown Washington design committee
IU Instructors
- Jon Racek, Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design
- Beth Huffman, Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design
IU Partner
- Rural Placemaking Studio