Establishing a University-Based Collaborative for Research and Engagement With Rural Communities

Abstract

Rural people and communities experience disproportionate health and social risks in the United States, and university systems, especially those that are federal land-grant institutions, have an obligation to direct academic attention and resources to all communities, not just the predominantly urban areas where most flagship academic institutions are located. In 2020, the University of Minnesota Rural Health Program established the Rural Collective, a forum for networking and collaboration on rural issues across the university system. We conducted a survey of Rural Collective members in summer 2024 to highlight aspects of the Rural Collective that members find most beneficial. Survey results (N = 66) indicated that members found virtual meetings and weekly emails to be beneficial features of the program. Nearly 90% reported that they have learned something new about rural work since joining, and more than 71% reported that joining the Rural Collective has led to a new connection or collaboration in their rural-focused work. Importantly, 96% of respondents believed that the Rural Collective is addressing an important need at the university, a finding that may be relevant for other institutions where there are obligations and potentially unmet needs related to rural community engagement, rural health promotion, and rural-focused academic work.