RURAL STUDIES
INSTITUTE A T
G E O R G I A
C O L L E G E
E N D O F Y E A R R E V I E W | S P R I N G 2021 | VO L . I , N O . 1
I N S I D E THE ISSUE S P R I N G
Community Technical Assistance
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Building the Brand The executive director launched the RSI brand through various speaking engagements throughout the year.
The Rural Studies Institute worked on several southern regional collaborative initiatives.
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Transformative Learning Experiences
Grant Funding The Rural Studies Institute received funding from two federal grants and partnered on an additional national grant.
The Rural Studies Institute led various student transformative learning experiences throughout the county.
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Community Technical A S S I S TA N C E
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he RSI hosted a community discussion on the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC) on Feb. 27, 2020. The commission was created in the 2008 Farm bill but has not received funding beyond administrative support. One of several statewide conversations across the Southern region that addressed
regional underdevelopment and rural development opportunities within the SCRC, this event was attended by
congressional staff, federal agencies, community representatives, and institutions of higher education. The Black Belt Community Foundation (Alabama), in conjunction with The Rural Studies Institute at Georgia College & State University and Kentucky State University, received a $10,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to study the impact of COVID-19 in the Alabama Black Belt and to develop a COVID-19 web portal for COVID-19 information for the region. The Rural Studies Institute developed a survey and held a focus group with community-based organizations (CBOs) in the Black Belt region of Alabama. (Dec. 2020). Dr. Veronica Womack served as co-principal investigator.
$10,000 Grant
$1,250 Grant
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Knight Foundation
The Executive Director of the RSI also serves on the
The Milledgeville Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction
Milledgeville-Baldwin Chamber’s Recovery & Resiliency
with Georgia College’s Rural Studies Institute and Office of
Taskforce and led the development of a Milledgeville
Sustainability, received a $1,250 grant from the Knight
community business survey for the taskforce in June 2020.
Foundation to conduct a study that will assess the theory
The survey was taken by fifty-five business leaders and will
of “brain drain” in Milledgeville. The group hosted two
be used to develop future strategies for recovery within
focus groups with representatives from Georgia College,
our community.
Georgia Military College, Georgia Military Prep School, Baldwin High School, Oak Hill Middle School and Early College. (Nov. 2020) RSI FIRST-YEAR REPORT 3 GEORGIA COLLEGE
Building THE BRAND Speaking Engagements: The RSI’s Executive Director worked diligently through speaking engagements and leading workshops to build the brand of the RSI.
February 2020 Dr. Veronica Womack was the speaker for the Georgia College Alumni Board meeting, Feb. 7, 2020.
Dr. Womack was the invited facilitator for the Georgia Organics Annual Conference, Feb. 7, 2020.
Delivered a presentation on The Rural Studies Institute.
Hosted a panel on Black farmers.
Dr. Womack was the invited keynote speaker for the U.S. Attorney’s Middle Georgia District of Georgia, Black History program, Feb. 18, 2020. Spoke on The Southeast Crescent Regional Commission and rural development in the South.
June 2020 Dr. Veronica Womack was the keynote speaker at the Milledgeville Rotary Club meeting, June 11, 2020. Delivered a presentation on The Rural Studies Institute.
September 2020 Dr. Veronica Womack was an invited
Dr. Veronica Womack was an invited
speaker at the Southern Black Women’s
speaker for the Southern Black Women’s
Rural Initiative (SBWRI)/Children's Defense
Rural Initiative (SBWRI)/Children's Defense
Fund group, Sept. 19, 2020.
Fund group, Sept. 26, 2020.
Delivered statewide meeting presentation
Delivered statewide meeting presentation
for Alabama on The Importance of Rural
for Georgia on The Importance of Rural
Broadband in the South.
Broadband in the South.
Building Community Workshops Dr. Veronica Womack was an invited presenter at the Baldwin County Superintendent Leadership retreat on July 13, 2020. This event was a professional development opportunity for all Baldwin public school principals. Dr. Veronica Womack was an invited presenter for Inflection in Times of Reflection: The importance of a multi-story American Narrative, Aug. 5, 6, and 7, 2020. This event was a professional development opportunity for all Baldwin county public teachers. Dr. Veronica Womack led a three-hour workshop on community development for the Lead For America leadership program, Oct. 10, 2020. RSI FIRST-YEAR REPORT 4 GEORGIA COLLEGE
How do we build the capacity of rural places to engage in a 21st-century economic development engine? The greatest thing we can do is to tap the expertise of the people who live here. Dr. Veronica Womack executive director of Rural Studies Institute
The Institute produces research and community-building models to resuscitate and strengthen rural life in Baldwin County, Georgia, and nationwide.
Transformative Learning Experiences BUILDING A C O L L A B O R AT I V E M O D E L Georgia College Interdisciplinary Partnerships
The RSI fostered interdisciplinary partnerships across the GC campus to highlight the significance of rural and increase knowledge about the RSI. • Dr. Renee Fontenot, Marketing (RSI was a client for the class; semester-long engagement, Fall 2020) • Dr. Sunita Manian, Philosophy: Womack as Guest lecturer — Oct. 12, 2020 • Dr. Kalina Manoylov, Environmental Science: Womack as Guest Lecturer — Aug. 24, 2020 • Dr. Angela Crisco, Mass Communication: Womack as Guest Lecturer— Aug. 26, 2020 (Black Farmers’ Network (BFN) worked on video and voice over) • Dr. Kelley Ditzel, Public Administration: Grants and Program Evaluation course partnership, Spring 2021 (RSI, Preservation Network, BFN, Collaboration with Fort Valley, Ruth Hartley Mosley House) • Julene Smith, graduate student DNP: Dissertation committee
Nationwide Student Partnerships
The RSI also worked with students from some of our country’s premiere institutions on rural research projects in order to facilitate the national expansion of knowledge of rural communities. • Lindsey Lunsford, Ph.D. student at Tuskegee University: Southern foodways and the development of culture, Dissertation committee • Emili Saksvig, MPH Graduate Student Emory University: Project, Health Impacts from Brownfield Sites in Rural Communities (Womack, External research advisor; year-long engagement, in partnership with Scott Blount, ABAC) • Ellen Martinson, MPH Graduate Student University: Project, Impact of Inadequate Housing in Rural communities (Womack, External research advisor; year-long engagement, in partnership with Scott Blount, ABAC) • Sooyong Kwon, Senior Thesis Yale University: Federal Commissions and Economic Development (Womack, External Research advisor; year-long engagement)
RSI FIRST-YEAR REPORT 7 GEORGIA COLLEGE
Grant FUNDING
Date
Grant Name
Funding Type
Amount.
Grant Application Members
March 2020
NIFA USDA Farm Bill
Extension Funding April 2020
$74,359
Womack, Principal Investigator Moore, Administrative Manager
New Funding
$150,000
Womack, Principal Investigator
Grant funded as an Asset Building Tool April 2020
NIFA USDA
Spring 2020 (April)
Moore, Administrative Manager
Focus research on Rural Economic Development in Georgia August 2020
RWJ Foundation
Fiscal Sponsor
$10,000
Community collaborative with Kentucky State University and Black Belt Community Foundation (BBCF) as fiscal sponsor
Technical Reports by RSI The Rural Studies Institute led two regionally-funded research projects. SEAP Fellow for the Roosevelt Institute | The Delta Regional Authority: A Black Belt Regional Perspective ($5,000) December 2020 | Womack, Principal Investigator Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Research Brief Resilience and Food Security in Black Belt Alabama through Land Based Cooperative Economics and Communal Landholdings July 2020 (as part of the Interdisciplinary Research Leaders Program ($350,000 grant for three years; 2017-2020 BBCF fiscal sponsor) Dr. Veronica Womack served as co-principal investigator.
Collaborative Efforts for 2020 The Rural Studies Institute focused on building relationships and collaborative work during its first year. Facilitating collaborations with Fort Valley State University (goal: MOU) Initial conversations for partnership with Georgia State University, ABAC, Florida A&M University (goal: researchers, student collaborations, and grant opportunities) Black Belt Community Foundation of Alabama (goal: research funding) Milledgeville-Baldwin Chamber of Commerce (strategic partner) RSI FIRST-YEAR REPORT 8 GEORGIA COLLEGE
RSI-Sponsored Virtual Learning Experiences SINCE JANUARY 2020 Due to Covid-19, all of RSI’s educational outreach efforts were virtual and highlighted national, state, and local rural thought leaders.
June 23, 2020 COVID in Rural Georgia in partnership with GC College of Health Sciences, Morehouse School of Medicine, the Medical College of
93%
Agree or strongly agree that the program was valuable.
93%
Agree or strongly agree that they were satisfied with the program.
Georgia, Adrick Ingram Hancock County Coroner, and Sarah Bobrow-Williams, faculty member and community organizer. *The program had 90 registrants and 69 attendees.
*23% return rate
Aug. 4, 2020 Rural Education in the age of COVID-19 in partnership with the Georgia College, College of Education, the Center for American
95%
Agree or strongly agree that the program was valuable.
Progress, the National Rural Education Association, and Dr. Noris Price, Superintendent of Baldwin County, Georgia, school system.
100%
*The program had 132 registrants and 89 attendees.
Agree or strongly agree that they were satisfied with the program. *21% return rate
Sept. 8, 2020 A Virtual Brown Bag – What is the RSI? With the Campus Community. The program had 48 registrants and 31 attended.
Sept. 29, 2020 The Significance of Rural with Dr. James. C. Scott, Yale political
100%
Agree or strongly agree that the program was valuable.
100%
Agree or strongly agree that they were satisfied with the program.
scientist and creator of the Yale University Agrarian Studies Program, and Sarah Smarsh, New York Times best-selling author. *The program had 90 registrants and 48 attendees.
*27% return rate RSI FIRST-YEAR REPORT 10 GEORGIA COLLEGE
Media
Appearances AND M EN T IO N S • RWJ Foundation https://irleaders.org/2020/07/dr-veronicawomack/ • Lead Story for the Foundation blog Wisconsin Examiner https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2020/06/18/wisconsins-smalltowns-join-call-for-racial-justice/ • The Nation https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/blackbelt-southern-poverty/ • Maryland Matters https://www.marylandmatters.org/2020/06/22/why-ruralamerica-is-joining-the-movement-for-black-lives/ • Pew Trusts https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-andanalysis/blogs/stateline/2020/06/12/why-rural-america-isjoining-the-movement-for-black-lives • Virginia Public Radio https://www.wvtf.org/post/bringingsoutheast-crescent-regional-commission-action#stream/0 • 13WMAZ, Macon, Georgia https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/local/pulaski-history-ofblack-farmers-and-land-loss-in-the-south/93-25d6de64-4d31-4e88-8cbe3b71c5ca92b8 • Culpeper Star-Exponent https://starexponent.com/news/virginias-rural-communitiesmiss-out-on-millions-in-federal-economic investmentfunding/article_31841400-086d-5ade-8bf0-487d175718b9.html • Clean Living Magazine The Cultured Kitchen.https://www.cleaneatingmag.com/clean-diet/the-culturedkitchen • Fredericksburg, Virginia News https://fredericksburg.com/news/local/virginias-rural-communities-miss-out-on-millions-in-federal-economic-investmentfunding/article_b2cd7d7c-5629-5dc0-94db-ac206b3d1643.html • Buzzflash: Why Rural America Is Joining the Movement for Black Lives — Buzzflash Ohio Country Journal Grappling With a New Farm – Ohio Ag Net | Ohio's Country Journal (ocj.com) • Progressive Farmer: Young, Black, First-Generation American Determined to Succeed as a Farm Owner (dtnpf.com) • Georgia College Radio: Georgia College's Veronica Womack Develops Institute Focused On Rural South | WRGC Georgia College (gcsu.edu) • Rural Studies Institute: Putting Small Communities and Georgia College on the Map, Connection Magazine, Summer 2020 • Wall Street Journal focus group participant https://veronicawomack.com /my-wall-street-journal-interview-about-rural-georgias-black-vote/ RSI FIRST-YEAR REPORT 11 GEORGIA COLLEGE
AT G E O R G I A C O L L E G E
RURAL STUDIES INSTITUTE
123 S. Clarke Street | Milledgeville, GA 31061 478-445-8154 www.gcsu.edu/ruralstudies Executive Director, Dr. Veronica L. Womack Operations Manager, Ms. Kimberly Moore Facebook: @RSIGCSI
www.blackfarmersnetwork.com Facebook: @blackfarmersnetwork
Rural Studies Institute at Georgia College
