Growing Rural Georgia
PROPEL Rural Scholars is an experiential learning opportunity for University of Georgia undergraduate students.
During the yearlong program, PROPEL Rural Scholars gain knowledge and experience in economic development, community development and civic leadership.
Led by the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government, the PROPEL Rural Scholars program receives support from the Langdale Foundation, the UGA Foundation and the UGA Parents Leadership Council.
The program makes an impact on not just the communities served by Scholars, it also leaves its mark with the students who serve.
Here, we share a few stories about the experiences of recent PROPEL Rural Scholars.
Exploring Roots
A cloud of peanut dust hangs in the air as UGA students stand in a rural Crisp County field talking with a local farmer and sampling green peanuts.
The students are here to learn how one of Georgia's most important crops is harvested and meet with community leaders.
Each fall, PROPEL Rural Scholars attend seminars by Institute of Government experts on topics such as demographic trends, small businesses, and community development. They also travel to communities like Crisp County to engage with local leaders and learn about rural economic development.
“The communities we serve benefit from working with these students who bring new perspectives, and our students get great experience,” says Greg Wilson, the institute faculty member who leads PROPEL (Planning Rural Opportunities for Prosperity and Economic Leadership). “Whatever these students choose to do in the future, having more knowledge around rural topics will serve them and our state well.”
Robie Lucas, an agricultural and applied economics and real estate student from Watkinsville, credits visiting rural communities with enhancing understanding.
“Agriculture is the center of many Georgia communities. It is meaningful to hear firsthand from the farmers who contribute so much through their production of a necessity — food,” she says.
Connecting with UGA students also makes an impact on local leadership.
“There’s always room for growth, and it’s good to get ideas from folks outside the community. These students are just so creative,” says Monica Simmons, president of the Cordele-Crisp Chamber of Commerce. “PROPEL has pulled our community together, and I see a lot more good things happening here through our work with the university.”
Students meet with David White of Crenshaw Farms, which grows peanuts, cotton and watermelon.
Students meet with David White of Crenshaw Farms, which grows peanuts, cotton and watermelon.
“Agriculture is the center of many Georgia communities. It is meaningful to hear firsthand from the farmers who contribute so much through their production of a necessity — food.”
Robie Lucas, PROPEL Rural Scholar
After The Storm
Emanuel County had just begun its partnership as a PROPEL community when Hurricane Helene struck Georgia, leaving a path of destruction across the state.
Not a single county road was passable in the storm’s immediate aftermath. Communication networks and the county’s entire electrical grid were down. Residents were left without power, water, cell service and other necessities for days. Pecan orchards and thousands of acres of timber — both vital to the area’s economy — were destroyed.
After the storm, Emanuel County’s PROPEL steering committee and the Institute of Government refocused their work to analyze the local storm response. Four PROPEL Rural Scholars gathered data to draft an after-action report, improvement plan and emergency contact list.
They also witnessed part of the storm's aftermath firsthand, including a debris collection site piled high with tree limbs and other detritus.
Six months after the storm, cleanup was still underway.
“Seeing everything in person and meeting with the community really put it into perspective,” said Taylor Siefken, a fourth-year political science student. “The things we saw were only a fraction of what Emanuel County experienced, but it highlighted a lot of the challenges rural communities face in disaster management."
“I was impressed with the questions the students asked and their eagerness to learn. Their help was valuable.”
Courtney Terwilliger, Emanuel County Public Safety Coordinator
During a debriefing with Emanuel County officials, the group focused on three key questions: what did the community do well, what did they learn, and what would they choose to do differently in a future emergency?
Meeting attendees listed their community’s strengths, including underground fiber internet, robust communication with the public via social media and community-wide efforts of neighbors helping neighbors. They spoke of the need for more generators for county wells, more equipment such as skid steers, and pre-event contracts with companies to clear debris.
The students used the meeting’s feedback to develop recommendations for the county’s water supply, logistics, communications and equipment for the future.
“I was impressed with the questions the students asked and their eagerness to learn. Their help was valuable,” said Emanuel County Public Safety Coordinator Courtney Terwilliger. “You know, when you’ve known something your whole life and you’ve been accustomed to it, sometimes you don’t see things. The students brought a lot of objectivity.”
Juicing Up Tourism
Known as the “Watermelon Capital of the World,” Crisp County is the largest producer of the fruit in Georgia, growing more than 200 million pounds every year. So when the county’s Chamber of Commerce received a donation of a 4,500-piece collection of watermelon memorabilia, it made sense to use it to promote local tourism.
“The collection is very unique, as many of the pieces have come from all over the world,” said Simmons, the chamber president.
The acquisition led to a PROPEL Rural Scholars project where students used research skills learned in the classroom and community development knowledge to compile a best practices guide for rural specialty museums.
Madison Drummond, PROPEL program coordinator at the UGA Institute of Government, helps direct student work.
“Rural economic development presents both unique challenges and great opportunities. This project offered our students a little bit of both, and they were genuinely excited to be part of it,” she says.
Chase Walker, a fourth-year political science student from Eastman, felt a personal connection to the project.
“Growing up, I would spend weekends with my grandmother, and she would always find something interesting for us to do,” he explains. “Whether it was going to the Little White House in Warm Springs or Jimmy Carter’s boyhood home in Plains, I found a love of museums. I really enjoyed working on something that’s going to help rural Georgia. It took me back in time.”
“ I really enjoyed working on something that’s going to help rural Georgia.
It took me back in time."
Chase Walker, PROPEL Rural Scholar
Learning by Doing
Examples of work performed by PROPEL Rural Scholars
Researching best practices
Students created case studies for eight museums — seven in Georgia and one in Pennsylvania — as part of their research. They interviewed staff and volunteers, toured some sites in person, and learned about museum operations. At Middle Georgia State University’s Museum of Technology in Macon (above), they met with Professor Tina Ashford to discuss managing visitor experience, space, programming, outreach, funding, and marketing.
Marketing agritourism
As part of their research, students suggested billboard advertising on Interstate 75 in Crisp County, leveraging the county’s participation in the Georgia Grown agricultural tourism trail. Crisp County has five stops on Georgia Grown Trail 41, with museums focused on local history, the railroad and the U.S. military — but none dedicated exclusively to the area’s most famous crop.
Planning for the future
“The work the students have done is tremendous," said Monica Simmons, president of the Cordele-Crisp Chamber of Commerce (above, left). “From day one, these students have motivated us. They were spot on with their research, and we picked up lots of ideas from their presentation.”
Public Service in Action
Compelled to help communities after Hurricane Helene, the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government collected donations of canned goods and other essentials for rural residents impacted by the disaster.
PROPEL Rural Scholars delivered the supplies during their travels to impacted areas.
A Lasting Impression
Students share their thoughts on the experience
Macy Hall
“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.”
Taylor Siefken
“PROPEL has given me valuable hands-on experience. Working directly with people in a community has helped me better understand how the fields I’m studying are connected.”
Ansley Greer
“PROPEL Rural Scholars has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my undergraduate career – it has pushed me to align my career in legislative policy with that of rural development.”
Propelling Rural Georgia
PROPEL, the University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government's award-winning rural development program, engages students and makes a difference across Georgia.
The UGA Institute of Government is proud to provide opportunities like the PROPEL Rural Scholars program to University of Georgia undergraduates.
At UGA, experiential learning is designed to deliver impact for communities, and above all, for students. Experiential learning can elevate a student’s trajectory, enhance competencies and enable opportunities, now and for years to come.
Writer: Rhiannon Eades
Editor: Margaret Blanchard
Photos: Sara Ingram
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