University of Maine System’s Rural Issues Symposium: Highlighting and Connecting Issues Facing Rural Maine Communities

Abstract

In January 2024, Presidents Joan Ferrini-Mundy (University of Maine) and Jacqueline Edmondson (University of Southern Maine) proposed an idea for the three coauthors of this commentary to consider: creating a symposium focused on rural issues that would highlight University of Maine System (UMS) research efforts that address Maine’s capacity for resilience and revitalization and that would galvanize opportunities for collaboration across disciplines, institutions, and sectors. This commentary describes the resulting Rural Issues Symposium, which aimed to enhance the long-term sustainability of Maine’s rural communities through its theme, Resilience and Revitalization with/in Maine Communities.