An open letter from PORH director

 

Dear Penn State Colleagues:
 
It is no secret that Pennsylvania is one of the most “rural” states in the nation, with almost 3.4 million residents living in areas that are designated rural.  The economic, cultural, social, geographic, and demographic characteristics of rural communities are sufficiently different from those of urban and suburban communities to require special consideration.  As the Commonwealth’s land-grant institution, Penn State is a lead organization in research and outreach initiatives that positively affect rural communities, organizations, policy, and residents. 
 
In recognition of this, on October 6, 2006, 150 rural health faculty, staff, and students with an interest in rural issues attended a landmark event for Penn State:  the first Penn State Rural Interest Meeting.  That forum, held at Celebration Hall in State College, marked the first time that faculty, staff, and students at Penn State with interests in rural research, outreach, and education came together to identify common interests and build collaborations and networks for future initiatives.
 
Those attending the meeting helped to identify the wide range of Penn State individuals, centers, programs, and resources focused on rural issues; increase awareness of and interest in working on rural issues; develop collaborations across colleges, campuses, and disciplines that build on ongoing and create new rural research, programming, and outreach activities; and leverage collaborations to respond to future external rural funding opportunities.  One of the primary goals at the conclusion of the meeting was to develop strategies for facilitating efficient and effective on-going interaction as a way of maximizing opportunities for collaboration and coordination of rural research, outreach, and educational activities within the Penn State system. 
 
Since then, the Penn State Rural Interest Initiative has been
formed to serve as a mechanism for facilitating networking focused
on rural research, education, and outreach interests. 
The Initiative’s Web site, hosted by the Social Science Research
Institute, includes information from the meeting:  purpose, goals,
and agenda; keynote presentations; links to Penn State centers;
and a searchable database of faculty, staff, and students at
Penn State with rural interests. That Web site can be accessed at http://www.ssri.psu.edu/ruralinterest/index.htm. Please enter your information into the database and forward the Web site address to Penn State colleagues who are either currently engaged in or are interested in pursuing rural research, education, or outreach initiatives and encourage them to join the initiative by clicking on the “Join the Initiative” link and entering their information.  Any questions or problems with the form may be sent to Lee Carpenter at src5@psu.edu.  

Over the next few months, the Penn State Rural Interest Initiative leadership team will be developing mechanisms to facilitate on-going communication with members of the Initiative.  In the meantime, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need more information.  I can be reached at (814) 863-8214 or via e-mail to lad3@psu.edu.
 
Thank you for your interest in rural issues!
 
Sincerely yours,
 
 
Lisa Davis
Director, Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health and Member, Penn State Rural Interest Initiative