Student Spotlight: ServeIT intern boosts rural businesses and communities
Esteban Becerra combines his passion for web design and community development to support small-town communities across rural Indiana.
Student Spotlight: Rural Health Scholar champions public health in rural communities
A Rural Health Scholar with the Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement, Shreya brings that dedication to rural Indiana. In partnership with the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington, she supports local health initiatives through Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNAs) and Community Health Improvement Plans (CHIPs).
IU Bloomington faculty members selected for 2025 Rural Indiana Faculty Tour
Twenty-five faculty members from Indiana University Bloomington will embark on a three-day tour through the heart of rural southern Indiana to explore opportunities and deepen community-engaged research.
The goal of this partnership was twofold: educate the public about the harm invasive plants cause and engage students in active removal efforts to help restore ecological balance.
IU Center for Rural Engagement honors outstanding leaders for impact on rural communities
These awards celebrate remarkable work in student engagement, community partnership, faculty-engaged teaching, faculty community engagement, and faculty lifetime achievement.
IU students support veterans’ mental health through Creative Arts for Vets
A key factor in CAV's success is the dedicated team of passionate interns who play a vital role in helping veterans find peace and belonging.
2025 IU Rural Conference to foster collaboration and innovation in rural Indiana
The conference will provide a platform for community leaders, Indiana University researchers, students and professionals from diverse fields to connect and collaborate on the opportunities and challenges facing rural Indiana.
Health Fairs Beyond the Numbers: Focusing on Meaningful Resident and Student Impact
Practicum student, Gabriela Diaz, reflects on the meaningful community health impact made through the Greene County Wellness Fair.
Rural organizations selected to partner with IU on creative placemaking initiative
Sixteen rural Indiana organizations will partner with Indiana University this year for the next round of the Rural Placemaking Studio, an initiative that links IU faculty and students with rural Indiana residents to enrich their communities through innovative public art and design.
Alumni Spotlight: Eric Ashby champions the arts in rural communities across Indiana
Discover how Eric Ashby, director of programs for the Indiana Arts Commission, is transforming rural communities through creativity and meaningful connections.
Episode 7: Bridging the Mental Health Gap in Rural Indiana
Host Denny Spinner sits down with Jodi Routson, director of Behavioral Health Services at Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center; Jon Agley, associate professor at the IU School of Public Health; and Amy Todd, registered nurse and program management specialist at IU, to explore a groundbreaking partnership addressing mental health needs in rural Indiana.
Opinion: Don't fight the tide—The church as the rural resource hub
Executive director Denny Spinner notes that churches serve a critical role in rural communities and should be recognized as an important partner in connecting communities with needed resources.
Sara Marshall, a rural placemaking intern, channels her passion for storytelling to preserve the cherished histories of Indiana’s rural communities, ensuring the stories of yesterday live on through today's creative placemaking initiatives.
Stories in Place: How History Shapes Rural Placemaking
Every place has a story worth sharing. As a place-based storyteller, I admit I may be a bit biased, but working with the 2024 Rural Placemaking Studio cohort reinforced how unique each community truly is.
New Greene County Food as Medicine program combats chronic illness and food insecurity
This free, 18-week program combines healthy eating with disease prevention, offering a holistic approach to health and wellness.
Episode 6: Navigating New Horizons as a Rural Student at IU Bloomington
Host Denny Spinner sits down with Colleen Rose, the director of student engagement at the IU Center for Rural Engagement, and two Indiana University Bloomington students, Dayanara Alvarado and Noah Bootcheck, to explore their journeys from small-town Indiana to the bustling campus of IU Bloomington.
Town of Elnora envisions new possibilities with IU design program
What began as a simple proposal to beautify their town hall with greenspace soon grew into 30 different architectural designs across the map of Elnora.
IU to support mental well-being in collaboration with Lilly Endowment and rural congregations
A grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Ministry in Rural Areas and Small Towns Initiative will support IU and other university partners in creating a suite of mental well-being resources that address needs expressed by rural congregations and their communities.
Students from the IU Kelley School of Business are using their academic skills to help shape the future of rural Indiana businesses.
Episode 5: Revitalizing Martin County through Creative Placemaking
Host Denny Spinner sits down with Jessica Potts, executive director of the Martin County Alliance for Economic Growth; Jon Racek, program director and teaching professor for comprehensive design at the IU Eskenazi School for Art, Architecture + Design; and Nicole Vasconi, quality of place liaison for the IU Center for Rural Engagement to discuss the transformative impact of the Rural Placemaking Studio on Martin County, Indiana.
Former IU student and Sustaining Hoosier Communities project participant, Sarah Murphy, is working to help Spring Mill State Park visitors reconnect with nature and her community.
Rural communities can apply to become the next IU Sustaining Hoosier Communities partner
The Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement is now accepting applications for the next Sustaining Hoosier Communities (SHC) partnership, which will run through 2026-27.
IU graduate student Brittany Eckler is helping preserve letters to Santa—some nearly 100 years old—as a Rural Archives Scholar through the IU Center for Rural Engagement's Rural Scholars Program, an initiative that matches IU students with high-priority projects in rural communities.
Rural Scholars Program partners IU students with vital projects in rural communities
Launched in the fall of 2024, the Rural Scholars Program identifies high-priority projects in rural communities and matches them with students driven to make a lasting impact in the Hoosier state.
Rural communities invited to apply for Indiana University's 2025 Rural Placemaking Studio
The Rural Placemaking Studio is a partnership between the IU ServeDesign Center at the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design and the IU Center for Rural Engagement. The initiative fosters the development of vibrant, accessible public places that are maintainable throughout residents' lifetimes and sustainable for future generations.
Episode 4: Trauma-informed care strengthens community resilience in Orange County
Brandy Terrell of Southern Indiana Community Health Care and John Keesler from the IU School of Social Work joined host Denny Spinner to discuss the evolution of developing trauma-informed care programming in Orange County, Indiana.
Greene County Wellness Fair to offer free health screenings, wellness resources Nov. 9
On Saturday, November 9, attendees ages 18 and up can receive free on-site health and wellness services. Versiti Blood Center of Indiana will host a mobile blood drive, and free childcare will be offered.
Arts for Youth Book offers creative approach to mental wellness for rural Indiana teens
A new therapeutic art workbook is helping rural teens creatively navigate the challenges of adolescence.
Opinion: Galvanizing economic growth in rural Indiana
Rural leaders need a coherent and consistent strategy focused on building housing, retaining college graduates, and improving quality of place.
Daviess County, IU launches Sustaining Hoosier Communities initiative with 20 new projects
The community has launched several initiatives through SHC this fall, including placemaking design and installations in Elnora, Montgomery, and Washington, Black heritage oral history recordings, business development strategies for the I-69 corridor and a cross-dock and transload facility, planning for increased childcare options, and new recreational opportunities.
Episode 3: Spencer Pride fosters quality of place through rural LGBTQ+ outreach
Jacob Balash, Judi Epp, and Elisabeth Solchik of Spencer Pride join host Denny Spinner to discuss how the LGBTQ+ not-for-profit supports rural quality of place through its annual Spencer Pride Festival, commUnity center, cultural programming, and local beautification efforts in Spencer, Indiana.
IU senior Quinn Scott spent his final summer as an undergraduate helping rural Hoosier communities reimagine their public spaces.
Episode 2: Building recovery networks in Daviess County
In this episode of Our Indiana: Stories from Rural Hoosiers, Jimmy Hay of REAL Recovery and Priscilla Barnes of the IU School of Public Health join host Denny Spinner for a hopeful conversation on the community impact of the Daviess Advances Recovery Access Consortium partnership with the Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement.
Rural smokers found success in quitting with IU cessation programs
Through I-HOPE, IU collaborated with rural Indiana healthcare providers to provide free smoking cessation programs throughout southern Indiana.
Dubois County, IU celebrate Sustaining Hoosier Communities success
The collaboration successfully launched 31 community projects and connected 580 IU students and 47 IU faculty and staff with organizations throughout Dubois County.
IU faculty and staff have paired 20 community-identified Daviess County projects with IU Bloomington courses and programs for the 2024 fall semester. Additional projects are anticipated for the spring and summer semesters.
O’Neill Online Week brings MPA student’s state government experience to rural Washington County
Online MPA student, Seth Hinshaw, spent a week developing a comprehensive plan to improve volunteer fire services across Washington County, Ind., where a dwindling number of volunteer firefighters has left the community grappling to meet its firefighting needs effectively.
Episode 1: Sustaining Hoosier Communities with Dubois County
In our debut episode, Rossina Sandoval and Christian Blome join host Denny Spinner for a lively conversation on the community impact of Dubois County's two-year partnership with the Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement's Sustaining Hoosier Communities initiative.
IU Eskenazi students to showcase Rural Placemaking Studio designs on Aug. 27
Over the past two months, students working through the Rural Placemaking Studio have dedicated their talents to creative placemaking and reimagining public spaces in rural communities. The event will feature an inspiring showcase of their final designs through a rolling photo slideshow and posters.
Student Spotlight: Jessica Pinyerd focuses on rural mental health needs in Dubois County
As part of the course led by Dr. Shirley Payne, she conducted a community needs assessment of the capacity and timely access to mental health services in the Dubois County area.
Community Spotlight: REAL Recovery offers loving support and advocacy in Daviess County
REAL’s vision is to give a voice to people in recovery and help to improve access to housing, employment, and recovery resources.
Bloom where you are planted: Indiana journalist and farmer grows community connections
IU alum serves as editor of the Washington Times-Herald, supports the family farm, and is connecting community through a food-as-medicine initiative.
Since its inception in the spring of 2023, the IRFH—or the Hub—has helped small Hoosier communities secure $1,011,529 in grant funding.
Inspired by the Eclipse: A Creative Approach to Celestial Phenomena in Rural Indiana
For several months leading up to the eclipse, the Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement spearheaded IU’s rural solar eclipse initiative. This initiative provided funding and support for arts and cultural events that celebrated the total solar eclipse across rural Indiana.
Student Spotlight: IU student strengthens cybersecurity in her rural hometown
Recent IU graduate, Izzy Blazey, got the chance to help strengthen cybersecurity in her rural hometown of Jasper, Indiana.
IU Rural Conference to connect Hoosier leaders and educators on vital rural issues
Speakers from around the state will spotlight a range of issues including rural food systems, education challenges, healthcare access and the impact of art in rural communities. The conference will include breakout sessions, discussion tables, demonstrations, poster sessions and networking opportunities.
Heart Healthy Hoosiers: Expanding access to care
Heart Healthy Hoosiers is a free program that provides cardiovascular screenings and lifestyle coaching services throughout southern Indiana.
Martin County Alliance for Economic Growth, IU partner on Shoals community planning
Indiana University and Martin County Alliance for Economic Growth are teaming up to raise awareness of the natural beauty, small-town charm, national employers, and community assets that make Shoals, Ind. a wonderful place to live and visit.
Organizations in rural communities with a population under 50,000 can now apply for micro-grants to support arts and cultural activities connected to the 2024 solar eclipse.
Perdue Farms’ operation in Washington has launched a pilot smoking cessation program for associates in collaboration with WrightChoice Healthcare and Indiana University School of Public Health and Center for Rural Engagement.