BLOOMINGTON – The Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement will host its seventh annual IU Rural Conference on May 12 and 13 at French Lick Resort. The conference will offer a robust lineup of events focused on the issues of greatest importance to Indiana’s rural communities.
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. It will include breakout sessions, demonstrations, poster sessions, and networking opportunities.
On May 12, Indiana University Indianapolis Professor Khaula Murtadha will deliver a keynote speech on the transformative nature of university-community partnerships and how these engagements break down barriers.
On May 13, Ash Hanson, founder and creative executive officer of Department of Public Transformation, will deliver a keynote speech on how artists and cultural workers can help residents connect more deeply to their communities through creativity, joy, and play.
Denny Spinner, executive director of the Center for Rural Engagement, will offer opening remarks on both days.
“The IU Rural Conference creates an important space for rural residents, IU partners and regional organizations to unite and propel rural vitality,” said Center for Rural Engagement executive director Denny Spinner. “We are looking forward to celebrating the innovation and collaboration happening across our state and forging new connections that help Indiana thrive.”
On May 12, a tobacco treatment workshop will be held concurrently with the conference, led by Jon Macy from the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington. The workshop will cover best practices in nicotine cessation and lessons learned from tobacco treatment programs in rural Indiana.
May 13 activities include a lunch panel led by Rural Organizing and Resilience (ROAR) that will focus on disaster challenges, the importance of networks, and hyperlocalized care. Formed in 2017 in Madison County, North Carolina, to advocate for mountain residents, ROAR will share insights from their response to devastating flooding caused by Hurricane Helene in 2024.
A breakout session led by Shellie Phelps Whitfield, executive director of the Wetumpka, Alabama Chamber of Commerce, and HGTV Home Town Takeover featured community partner, will lead an engaging presentation on the story of a small town’s serendipitous journey to becoming who they were always meant to be.
Activities on May 13 also include a session that will guide small businesses and non-profits through identifying potential emergencies their organizations could face and exploring resources available for disaster response and recovery. John Summerlot and Amanda Roach from IU Emergency Management and Continuity will lead this session.
Select sessions have been approved by the School of Social Work for continuing education units (CEUs) and for CHES/MCHES CEUs by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing through Prevention Insights at the Indiana University School of Public Health. The May 13 breakout session titled Rural Libraries: Building Resilient Communities and Bridging Critical Gaps has been approved for a library education unit (LEU) by the Indiana State Library.
Doors open at 8 a.m., and sessions begin at 9 a.m. Tickets are $80 for both days and $50 for a single day, and they include meals and materials.
A limited number of scholarships are available for those who could not attend. Contact iucre@iu.edu for more information.
The full conference schedule and registration are available at https://go.iu.edu/2025rural.
