Projects and Programs
Initiatives are multi-year endeavors, with participation from both the Center for Small Towns and the Office of Community Engagement. Initiatives originate from a place-based rural need articulated by community members and include four phases that vary in length of time. Initiatives are funded by institutional funds, federal work study funds, grants, and student fees, and often include Americorps VISTA support.
Phase 1: Stakeholders design and implement a community needs and assets assessment related to a specific issue, then work together to identify goals and create an action plan.
Phase 2: Stakeholders work together on each recommendation, until all have been addressed in some way.
Phase 3: Ongoing work related to the initiative has either become self-sustaining or has institutional commitments from UMN Morris (i.e, has become a Center program).
Phase 4: The Center shares outcomes with rural communities experiencing similar challenges, and a process to expand the initiative’s work beyond the originating community/region begins.
The Rural Food Systems Initiative
The Rural Food Systems Initiative’s mission is to work toward a regional food system that promotes food security for all. The initiative is currently in phase two.
Food Systems Faculty Fellows: Ed Brands, Environmental Studies;
Nina Ortiz, Anthropology
Food Systems VISTA: Emilee Dolan
Interns: Ella Brewster; Zainab Luger; Mikayla Morris
Core Community Partners: Horizon Public Health; Morning Sky Greenery; Regional Sustainable Development Partnership; RUSC Kinship; Stevens County Food Shelf; Stevens County
Funding: Blue Cross, Blue Shield; Horizon Public Health; Otto Bremer Trust Gift; Regional Sustainable Development Partnership; RUSC Kinship
2024-2025 Goals: Outreach about the results of a regional food systems assessment to stakeholders to determine projects; maintaining a new community garden in Stevens County and planning for its future; conducting a study to determine the feasibility of a community kitchen; support food-related efforts led by our partners; assist with the FM360 statewide study to include regional farmer’s markets.
The Rural Intercultural Education Initiative (RIEI)
RIEI focuses on alleviating educational and community engagement inequities for immigrants across the lifespan. RIEI is in Phase Four.
RIEI Coordinator: Kiley Rodarmel
Fellows: Thomas Genova, Spanish; Cristina Ortiz, Anthropology; Windy Gonzalez Roberts, Spanish
Interns: Libby Gustafson, Linden Moran, and Shai Olson serve as student leaders lead Community ESL lead teachers are also compensated.
Core Community Partners: Marcela Coon, Morris Area Schools; Claudia Delrio, Latina Support and Friendship Group; Citlali Ibanez, Morris Area Community Education; Autumn Macias, Conexiones
Funding: RIEI is funded by student fees, federal work study, and a gift of the Otto Bremer Trust
RIEI Programs: Community ESL (English classes for adults taught by trained UMN Morris students); TERCERO (community translation and interpretation training); TREC-ESL (see TREC below)
2024-2025 Goals: Creating and disseminating a free, hybrid TERCERO course available to rural communities across the state; assessing how to move RIEI into phase four through conversations with stakeholders in other rural communities with large immigrant populations.
Community-Engaged Learning
Community-engaged learning is “a pedagogy that utilizes community service, community-based research, or other civic engagement activities along with regular reflective activities and assignments to meet both course goals and identified community needs.” Staff work with faculty and community partners to create a project plan, pre-project preparation plan, implementation/l0gistics plan, reflection plan, and assessment plan. CEL classes are funded by institutional funds.
Fall 2024 Community-Engaged Learning Classes
Anthropology 3204: Culture, Food, and Agriculture
Faculty: Cristina Ortiz
Community Need: Work toward a community free of food insecurity.
Project: Students will assist with planning and hands on tasks supporting three food systems programs: the Stevens County Community Garden; Morris Community Meal; and Tiger Targets Fun Fridays (two food systems-related activities).
Art, Studio 1008: Visual Studies for Non-Majors: Ceramics
Art, Studio 3650: Ceramics Studio
Faculty: Jason Ramsey
Community Need: Raise awareness and funds for organizations addressing basic needs; introduce youth to ceramics.
Project: Students will produce bowls for the annual Bread ‘N Bowls awareness raising event.
Biology 3131: Ecology
Faculty: Miriam Gieske
Community Need: Field work at U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Community Partners: U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Project: Students will support field work at U.S. Fish and Wildlife.
French 1803: Fairies and Warriors: Medieval Legends and Fictions
Faculty: Lisa Bevevino
Community Need: Additional recreational and educational opportunities for community
Community Partners: Morris Public Library
Project: Students will coordinate a medieval festival at the library.
Humanities 3108: Community Interpreting
Faculty: Tom Genova
Community Need: Additional community interpreters at the local schools and other community organizations
Community Partners: Conexiones, Morris Area School District
Project: Students will volunteer as interpreters at parent teacher conferences and other events. Students whose skills are not at a level to serve in this capacity will assist with translation projects.
Theatre 2211: Oral Interpretation
Faculty: Siobhan Bremer
Community Need: Providing support to youth who are struggling in school by getting them connected to college students and faculty and learning in a fun, hands-on way.
Community Partners: Morris Area School District
Project: Tiger Targets Fun Fridays brings students in grades 4-6 to campus for activities with faculty and students; this course will provide one of the activities.
Spring 2024 Community-Engaged Learning Classes
In development
Community-Engaged Learning Fellowships
Interdisciplinary teams, disciplines, and individual faculty can apply for fellowships. Each participant receives $500 for completing a community-engaged learning training and an additional $1000 after teaching a CEL course for the first time. Fellowships are funded by institutional funding.
The next fellowship group will be selected in spring 2025 for the 2025-2026 academic year.
Connecting Students, Faculty, and Community
Coordinated by the Center for Small Towns, the Connecting Students, Faculty, and Community supports projects proposed by community members, whose project ideas might benefit from coordination, faculty expertise, student interns, or all three.
Students in Service: Students volunteer at an organization in Stevens County and are compensated for their work with federal work study funds.
Level 1: CST places and oversees student interns in a project that is coordinated by an organization.
Level 2: A faculty member and/or CST staff are a part of the core team coordinating a project and meeting regularly.
Level 3: CST is leading the project or contracted to complete a project for a partnering organization. CST stays at the table as project outcomes are met and works with stakeholders to consider the question, “What comes next?”
2024-2025 CSFC Projects
100 Rural Women
Supporting a team of staff and interns in data analysis, website improvement, and planning for a mentorship program for women seeking to run for elected office. This project is a collaboration with the Regional Sustainable Development Partnership.
Student Intern: Allison Dorseif
Status: Level 1, ongoing since 2021
Funding: Federal Work Study
ArtisTree Cafe, Community and Events Center
Assisting this cafe and event center, which specializes in welcoming people with disabilities and LGBTQ+ people, creating space to make and enjoy art, and hosting arts-related events, with communications with stakeholders and the broader community.
Student Intern: Nani Mahkuk-Guaman
Status: Level 1, ongoing since summer 2024
Funding: MAX Fund
Center for Community Vitality-UMN Extension
Data entry and analysis for a range of projects on which the Center for Community Vitality is working.
Student Intern: Aspen Ireland
Status: Level 1, Ongoing since 2018
Funding: Internal sale
Land Stewardship Project
Data collection and analysis as a first step in expanding the number of school cafeterias serving local foods.
Student Intern: Elsa Eaves
Status: Level 2, new project
Funding: Southwest Regional Sustainable Development Partnership
Madison Mercantile
Assisting with the development of a local foods hub and other food systems-related work.
Student Intern: Jashaun St. John
Status: Level 2, new project
Funding: Southwest Regional Sustainable Development Partnership and Otto Bremer Trust gift
Morris Theatre
Assist with communications with stakeholders and the broader community.
Student Intern: El Anderson
Status: Level 2, ongoing since summer 2024
Funding: Otto Bremer Trust gift
Prairie Renaissance Cultural Alliance
Assist with routine volunteer tasks, including running the arts store, assisting with shows and events in the gallery, and keeping inventory up to date.
Student Intern: Rikki Soto
Status: Level 2, ongoing since summer 2024
Funding: Otto Bremer Trust gift
Someplace Safe
The research team is engaged in analyzing data from an ongoing research project about equity for survivors of intimate violence in the court system. The study will inform Someplace Safe’s next steps in providing victim advocacy.
Faculty Advisor: Jon Anderson, Statistics
Student Intern: Christina Graebner
Status: Level 3, Ongoing since 2019
Funding: External sale
Someplace Safe Thrift Store
Assist with sorting donations and supporting customers.
Student Intern: Interviews in progress
Status: Students in Service
Funding: Federal Work Study
Stevens County Historical Society and Museum
Assist with events, research, and other projects.
Student Intern: Christian Diederich
Status: Students in Service, ongoing since 2023
Funding: Federal Work Study
Stevens County Humane Society
Assist with care of animals and other related tasks.
Student Intern: Courtney Lindgren
Status: Students in Service, ongoing since 2022
Funding: Federal Work Study
UMVRDC Housing Case Studies
Collecting case studies about innovative solutions to the rural housing crisis.
Student Intern: Interviews in progress
Status: Level one, new project
Funding: External sale
Uniting Cultures
This project collected stories from residents in the multicultural community of St. James, MN and created a traveling exhibit celebrating those stories. In this final phase of the project, CST is supporting the final translation of interview documents and the completion of an archival resource with those interviews.
Faculty Advisor: Nina Ortiz, Anthropology
Student Intern: Rose Van Nelson
Status: Level two, Ongoing since 2021
Funding: Regional Sustainable Development Partnership
U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Assist with field work and data entry and analysis.
Student Intern: Elizabeth Frias
Status: Students in Service
Funding: Federal Work Study
The Zone After School Program
Students assist with recreation time, homework help, and individualized learning times.
Student Interns: Alannah Coster, Isaiah Henderson, Malia Totoris
Status: Students in Service, Ongoing since 1995
Funding: Federal Work Study
Faculty Research and Creative Activity Fellowships
Every three years, the Center for Small Towns invites proposals from faculty wishing to spend three years exploring, planning, and implementing a community-engaged research project that will meet needs in rural communities in Minnesota. Fellowships are supported through institutional funds.
Year One Fellows: Sarah Blake, Tim Lindberg, Y. Andrew Hao, Elliot James, Megan Johnston
Youth Programs
Big Friend, Little Friend
BFLF is a campus life organization supported by the Office of Community Engagement. Trained college students are paired with elementary school children and spend at least two hours a week with one another in a mentoring relationship. In addition, BFLF hosts monthly events for all mentors and mentees. BFLF is funded by a regular funding process for student organizations.
Tutoring, Reading, and Empowering Children (TREC)
Tutoring, Reading, and Empowering Children is funded by student fees, federal work study, and OCE’s UMN budget allocation.
TREC’s mission is to:
- promote literacy in children ages 0-18;
- provide children with meaningful tutoring and mentoring experiences;
- improve school readiness, school achievement, social-emotional development and intercultural competence among children;
- provide UMM students with meaningful work-study, volunteer, and service-learning opportunities that meet UMM learning objectives.
TREC-ABE
Partners: Morris Area Community Education
TREC-ABE is an interactive, bilingual learning space during adult basic education classes on Wednesday evenings.
TREC-ESL
Partners: Conexiones
TREC-ESL is an interactive, bilingual learning space with pre-K and school-aged rooms. Between 20-30 youth read, do homework, and learn together with 10 paid and trained lead and assistant TREC tutors on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings and Wednesday and Friday afternoons.
TREC-Storytime
Partner: Morris Public Library
TREC-Storytime uses proven pre-literacy learning strategies to foster pre-literacy skills and a love of books and reading. Between 10-30 preschoolers and their parents or daycare providers attend each TREC-Storytime session, led by four paid and trained TREC tutors.
TREC-Tiger Targets
Partner: Morris Area Elementary School
TREC-Tiger Targets will provide support to students selected for an after school program to work on academic skills. The 5th and 6th grade students in the program will also have the opportunity to enjoy special activities on campus on Fridays.
TREC Tutors: Lily Chamoun, Lilia Collard, Atlas DaLaria, Lara Drum, Kulie Elmes, Emerson Illg, Katherine Kelm, Lily Medicine Horse, Fatima Mehr, Isadora Pacheco, Kyra Rocha, Logan Sanders, Abby Sawatzke, Peyton Snow, Brynn Stanley
Community-Building Programs
Community-Building Programs invite the Morris Area community and UMN Morris students to work alongside one another in projects that build community and benefit community members in a variety of ways.
Bread ‘N Bowls
Ceramics students, art faculty, and community artists donate bowls, which can be purchased at an awareness-raising event aimed at eliminating poverty and crime. Area businesses and faith communities donate food for a shared meal.
Partners: Prairie Renaissance Cultural Alliance, Someplace Safe, Stevens County Food Shelf
Days of Service
On Labor Day and on most Saturdays throughout the academic year, the co-curricular student leadership team works with area organizations on service projects that meet direct needs in the Morris area.
Morris Community Meal
Morris Community Meal is a community-building program aimed at encouraging connection around food. Anyone can help plan, cook, serve, or enjoy a community meal. Community businesses, organizations, farmers, and faith communities fund and provide space for the meal. Students and community members work alongside one another and eat together.
Spooky U
Students learn about food security in Stevens County and work to eliminate it through Halloween-themed programs.
Partner: Stevens County Food Shelf
Events:
- Candy on Cougar Circle
- Trick or Can
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Days of Service
Students learn about our unique prairie habitat and assist with field work, including butterfly tagging and seed harvesting.
Partner: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Events:
- Monarch Butterfly Tagging
- Seed Harvest
Presents from Pounce
Students coordinate a donation campaign to ensure that all Morris area youth have holiday gifts beginning in early November and ending during finals week.
Partners: Morris Area Women of Today, Morris Area High School, Stevens County Human Services.
Community Engagement Student Leaders
The community engagement student leaders are paid to plan and lead community building programs and to serve as peer mentors/guides to students who wish to be involved in the Stevens County community. They engage in weekly professional development related to community engagement and social justice.
Leaders: Briah Azure, Abby Sawatzke, Samantha Sherman, Kieda Wagner, Samara Walker, Alija Wosti