Wednesday, June 9
- 6:30 p.m.—6:45 p.m.
Welcome and Symposium Overview- Center for Small Towns—Bart Finzel
- Minnesota Rural Partners—Jane Leonard
- 6:45 p.m.—8:30 p.m.
Evening Activities- Rural Urban Partnering Council—discussion & organizing
- 8:30 p.m.—10:30 p.m.
Reception- Hosted by U of M Regional Sustainable Dev. Partnerships
- Entertainment by the Strollers
Thursday, June 10
- 8:00 a.m.—9:00 a.m.
Continental Breakfast, Registration and Networking
Oyate Hall, Student Center - 9:00 a.m.—9:30 a.m.
Joint Symposium Welcome- Center for Small Towns, Director—Bart Finzel
- Minnesota Rural Partners, Director—Jane Leonard
- Poet, UMM English faculty—Athena Kildegaard
- City of Morris, Mayor—Sheldon Giese
- 9:30 a.m.—10:30 a.m.
A panel of “real people doing real stuff” emphasizing small communities with big success stories- Moderator: Dave Engstrom, Minnesota Association of Small Cities
- Panelists: Muriel Krusemark – Hoffman Economic Development Association, Stephanie Ibarra - Madelia Mobile Home Co-op
- 10:30 a.m.—11:00 a.m.
Break - 11:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m.
Breakout Sessions
Various Locations - 12:00 p.m.—1:30 p.m.
LUNCH
FEATURED SPEAKER—Colleen Landkamer, MN State Director USDA Rural Development
UMM Food Service - 1:30 p.m.—2:30 p.m.
Showcase Fair
Community Leadership Cities, Success Stories, Community Pride Communities, Rural-Urban Connection examples
Oyate Hall, Student Center (Mall) - 2:30 p.m.—2:45 p.m.
Short Break - 2:45 p.m.—3:45 p.m.
POLICY PANEL—“How Public Policies are Improving Rural Small Town Viability”—Gubernatorial candidates
Moderator: Kate Smith, Minnesota Public Radio
Proscenium Theatre, Humanities Fine Arts - 3:45 p.m.—4:15 p.m.
Closing—review highlights and comment on upcoming activities
Proscenium Theatre, Humanities Fine Arts - 4:30 p.m.—6:00 p.m.
Rural-Urban Partnering Council—POST SYMPOSIUM
Student Center—Study Hall