Symposium on Small Towns & Rural Summit

Home Agenda Registration Directions and Parking Accommodations

11:00 am

Registration and Networking.  Oyate Hall, Student Center

12 noon

Welcome.  Science Auditorium
UMM Interim Dean and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Judy Kuechle
Morris City Mayor Carol Wilcox

12:15

Keynote:  The Maintenance Costs of Small Towns and the Benefits of Working Together. 
Randy Cantrell, University of Nebraska Rural Initiative and Benjamin Winchester, Center for Small Towns at the University of Minnesota, Morris. Science Auditorium

1:00 pm

Lunch.  Oyate Hall, Student Center

Public Insight Journalism - focus on Energy and Immigration, led by Andrew Haeg, Minnesota Public Radio

2:30

Working Together in Partnerships Breakout sessions (click here for more information)

4:00

6:00

Bella Cocina meal at East Side Park sponsored by Dobson Cellular Systems
Opening Comments by Jane Leonard
Candidate Forum - elected position candidates will be on hand to speak
The Long Arm of the Small Town Storytelling Festival (following Gubernatorial Forum)
Musical Entertainment by HomeMade Jam

7:30 am

Locally-grown Foods Breakfast.  Food Producing Farms: A Menu for Mainstreet.  Audrey Arner, Moonstone Farm.  Oyate Hall, Student Center

9:00

Keynote:  Working Better Together: A Strategic Conversation for Strengthening Rural Minnesota Communities.  Jim Hoolihan, Blandin Foundation.  Science Building Auditorium

9:30

Legislative Panel.  Working Together to Create Rural Policy.  Science Building Auditorium

11:15

Community Showcases.  Working Together in Practice  Science Building
(Click here for more information)

12:30

Lunch.  Oyate Hall, Student Center

Keynote: Working Better Together to Design our Future.
Jane Leonard, Minnesota Rural Partners

1:30

Wrap-up and Next Steps.  Oyate Hall, Student Center