Fall trip prepares students to work with rural communities this spring
A cloud of peanut dust hung in the air this fall as a team of University of Georgia students stood in a rural Crisp County field speaking with a local farmer and sampling green peanuts.
The students were there to learn how one of Georgia’s most important crops is harvested as part of the PROPEL Rural Scholars program. The students met with community leaders and learned about rural Georgia’s offerings, from industry to tourism and agriculture as part of their preparation to work on research projects this spring. PROPEL Rural Scholars is a two-semester program led by the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government and supported by the University of Georgia Foundation and the Parents Leadership Council.
“Agriculture is the center of many Georgia communities. It was meaningful to hear firsthand from the farmers who contribute so much through their production of a necessity—food,” said Robie Lucas, an agricultural and applied economics and real estate student from Watkinsville.
The PROPEL Rural Scholars program is an experiential learning opportunity for undergraduates as part of the UGA Institute of Government’s award-winning PROPEL (Planning Rural Opportunities for Prosperity and Economic Leadership) initiative. Over the course of an academic year, students selected as PROPEL Rural Scholars gain knowledge and experience that will empower them to take roles in economic development, community development and civic leadership.
“The communities we serve benefit from working with these students who bring new perspectives, and our students get great experience,” said Greg Wilson, the institute faculty member who leads PROPEL. “Whatever these students choose to do in the future, having more knowledge around rural topics will serve them and our state well.”
The third class of PROPEL Rural Scholars includes 17 undergraduate students from six UGA colleges with majors ranging from agribusiness to biochemical engineering. Throughout the fall semester, the students learned about such topics as demographic trends and community engagement in regular seminars and visited two PROPEL communities.
PROPEL Rural Scholars pose at Hollingsworth & Vose in Hawkinsville. (Photo by Sara Ingram)
“Through PROPEL, I have met people who are as passionate as I am about preserving the unique history and environment of rural areas, and I have seen the impact that UGA is already making on communities just like my hometown,” said Macy Hall, an advertising and agricultural communications student from Tazewell in Marion County. “I’m setting my sights on rural development as a possible career.”
Local leaders said their time with the students was impactful. Hawkinsville City Manager Sara Myers said it’s important for college students to understand the opportunities available in rural communities.
“We love showing these students around because rural communities make up the majority of cities and counties in Georgia. It’s really beneficial for them to see the things we’re able to accomplish when we all work together,” Myers said. “We want these students to know that we have jobs here in rural communities that would help them excel in their careers.”
Cordele-Crisp County Chamber of Commerce President Monica Simmons, right, speaks to PROPEL Rural Scholars at Georgia Veterans State Park in Crisp County. (Photo by Sara Ingram)
During the spring semester, the students will split into teams to work with PROPEL communities on applied research projects. Monica Simmons, president of the Cordele Crisp Chamber of Commerce, said she can’t wait to work with the students.
“There’s always room for growth, and it’s good to get ideas from folks outside the community. These students are just so creative,” she said. “PROPEL has pulled our community together, and I see a lot more good things happening here through our work with the university.”
PROPEL was launched in 2021 with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and has received additional support from the UGA Foundation. The Langdale Foundation has provided support for the PROPEL Rural Scholars program. PROPEL guides rural cities and counties through a multi-step process to develop and implement a plan to advance their economies and helps communities build resiliency and capacity for long-term economic success. The program was awarded top honors in the Place category at the 2023 University Economic Development Association (UEDA) Awards of Excellence.
Learn more about PROPEL online.
Central Georgia Technical College’s Marcus Early, center, speaks to PROPEL Rural Scholars Christian Dent, left, and Yash Sajjan, right, after an Archway executive committee meeting in Hawkinsville. (Photo by Sara Ingram)
Ronnie Miller, production manager, leads a tour of the Crisp County Power Commission’s hydroelectric dam on Lake Blackshear. (Photo by Sara Ingram)
UGA Archway’s Sherrié Raleigh speaks to the PROPEL Rural Scholars about murals in downtown Hawkinsville. (Photo by Sara Ingram)
PROPEL Rural Scholars Macy Hall, Lauren Park and Chase Walker listen to Hollingsworth & Vose Production Manager Tony Gibson, right, as he shows them filter paper produced at the Hawkinsville plant. (Photo by Sara Ingram)
UGA PROPEL Rural Scholars Chase Walker, left, and Robie Lucas listen to Production Manager James Hugley at Marvair in Cordele. (Photo by Sara Ingram)
Research provided by PROPEL Rural Scholars
During the 2023-2024 academic year, the second group of PROPEL Rural Scholars worked in small teams on applied research projects in Ben Hill, Burke and Pulaski counties, plus the Lower Chattahoochee Council of Governments (Clay, Quitman, Randolph and Stewart counties).
Jason Dunn, executive director of Fitzgerald Ben Hill Economic Development Authority, said his community enjoyed working with the students.
“These young folks are the catalyst to change, prosperity and the future of this state,” Dunn said. “Ten to 15 years from now, these students will be the ones looking to locate a business or needing to leverage a relationship somewhere. Undoubtedly, they’ll remember their experience in Fitzgerald and consider launching here or collaborating with us. If we can keep building relationships like this, something invaluable will happen in the state of Georgia.”
Each team presented its project at the end of spring semester both to their community partners and at an Institute of Government event:
Ben Hill County: Students gathered input from business owners about revitalizing Fitzgerald’s downtown corridor.
Burke County: Students researched ideas to promote tourism, sharing case studies from other communities and creating evergreen content for websites and social media.
Lower Chattahoochee Council of Governments: Students compared digital wayfinding applications to link the counties together virtually and explored grant funding opportunities.
Pulaski County: Students researched methods the community could use to communicate about local events, from digital signage to SMS messaging services.