Ivy+ Rural Symposium

Office of Culture and Community presents

A sunset view of Dunster House on the bridge with Weeks Bridge in the foreground.

The Harvard College Office of Culture & Community (C&C) and the Harvard Undergraduate Rural League (HURL) invites you to join us at our inaugural Ivy+ Intercollegiate Rurality Symposium on October 9-10 in Cambridge, MA. The symposium aims to convene rural identified & rural curious undergraduates from Ivy+ institutions alongside scholars and practitioners whose work examines rural educational attainment and college-going patterns; rural economies and labor markets; and rural health, wellbeing, and social infrastructure.

Agenda

Time	Session
Friday, October 9
3:30-4:30PM	Optional Campus Tour with the Harvard University Visitor Center Registration required; tour available for the first 25 registrants.
5-7PM	Registration & Reception Smith Campus Center, 10th floor
Saturday, October 10
8:45-9:15AM	Registration & Breakfast Hilles, 59 Shepard St, Cambridge, MA
9:20-9:30AM	Welcome by Conference Host Hilles, 59 Shepard St, Cambridge, MA Dr. Alta Mauro, Associate Dean of Students for Culture & Community, Symposium Chair; Dr. Andi Wright, Allston Burr Resident Dean of Eliot House & Lecturer in Anthropology, Faculty Chair
9:30-10:05AM	Framing: An overview of Rurality Hilles, 59 Shepard St, Cambridge, MA Introduction by Justin Black '27 and Kevin Scanlan '27, co-Presidents of Harvard Undergraduate Rural League; Dr. Ty McNamee, Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Policy Studies & Evaluation and Research Associate, Office of Higher Education Research, University of Kentucky
10:10-11:10AM	Conference Session I Health & Public Health Hilles, 59 Shepard St, Cambridge, MA Dr. Keon L. Gilbert, Senior Fellow and Director of the Race, Prosperity, and Inclusion Initiative, Brookings Institution; Professor, Saint Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice; Dr. Matthew Tobey, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School & Director of Rural Medicine Programs, Massachusetts General Hospital; Dr. Katherine Veach, Assistant Dean for First Year Academics, Harvard College
11:15AM-12:15PM	Conference Session II Rural Education Hilles, 59 Shepard St, Cambridge, MA Dr. Kristie LeBeau, Visiting Assistant Professor, Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration, University of Deleware; Dr. Jenay Willis, Assistant Professor of Higher Education, University of Mississippi; Maddie Register '29, Harvard College Sophomore
12:15-1:20PM	Lunch Hilles, 59 Shepard St, Cambridge, MA Lunch will be provided to all conference attendees.
1:30-2:15PM	Conference Session III Rural Economics Hilles, 59 Shepard St, Cambridge, MA Dr. Sky Marietta, Assistant Professor, University of the Cumberlands; Noah Harris '22, 3L at Harvard Law School, Chair, Mississippi Delta Project at Harvard Law School; Travis Lovett, Associate Dean of Civic Engagement & Service, Harvard College; Ava Silva '27, Harvard College Senior
2:15-2:30PM	Break
2:30-3:45PM	Conference Session IV Student Track: In Community with HURL co-founders Hilles, 59 Shepard St, Cambridge, MA Justin Black '27, Co-President of Harvard Undergraduate Rural League (HURL), Harvard College; Kevin Scanlan '27, Co-President of Harvard Undergraduate Rural League (HURL), Harvard College Professional Development Track: Admissions & Financial Aid Hilles, 59 Shepard St, Cambridge, MA Joy St. John, Director of Admissions, Harvard College Admissions; Ian McLean, Assistant Director for Recruitment, Harvard College Admissions; Marjorie Betley, Deputy Director of Admissions, Executive Director of the STARS College Network, University of Chicago; Emily Staros, Assistant Director of Admissions and Rural Recruitment Coordinator, Cornell University
3:45-4:05PM	Closing Remarks Hilles, 59 Shepard St, Cambridge, MA Dr. Alta Mauro, Associate Dean of Students for Culture & Community, Symposium Chair; Thomas Dunne, Dean of Students at Harvard College
4:05-5:30PM	Reception

Symposium Speakers

Alta Mauro

Associate Dean of Students for Culture & Community, Symposium Chair

Andrea Wright

Allston Burr Resident Dean of Eliot House & Lecturer in Anthropology, Faculty Chair

Justin Black '27

Co-President, Harvard Undergraduate Rural League (HURL)

Kevin Scanlan '27

Co-President, Harvard Undergraduate Rural League (HURL)

Ty McNamee

Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Policy Studies & Evaluation and Research Associate, Office of Higher Education Research, University of Kentucky

Keon L. Gilbert

Senior Fellow and Director of the Race, Prosperity, and Inclusion Initiative, Brookings Institution; Professor, Saint Louis University College for Public Health and Social Justice

Matthew Lawrence Tobey, M.D.

Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Director of Rural Medicine Programs, Massachusetts General Hospital

Katherine Veach

Assistant Dean for First Year Academics, Harvard College

Kristie LeBeau

Visiting Assistant Professor, Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration, University of Deleware

Jenay Willis

Assistant Professor of Higher Education, University of Mississippi

Maddilyn Register '28

Harvard College Sophomore, Office of Culture and Community (C&C) Student Worker

Sky Marietta

Assistant Professor, University of the Cumberlands

Noah Harris

3L at Harvard Law School; Chair, Mississippi Delta Project at Harvard Law School

Travis Lovett

Associate Dean of Civic Engagement & Service, Harvard College

Ava Silva

Harvard College Senior

Joy St. John

Director of Admissions, Harvard College

Ian McLean

Assistant Director for Recruitment, Harvard College Admissions

Marjorie Betley

Deputy Director of Admissions, Executive Director of the STARS College Network, University of Chicago

Emily Staros

Assistant Director of Admissions and Rural Recruitment Coordinator, Cornell University

Thomas Dunne

Dean of Students, Harvard College

Register for the Symposium

Interested in attending the symposium? Register using the link below.

ABOUT

Office of Culture & Community

The Office of Culture & Community recognizes the wide spectrum of life experiences present within our community and seeks to build bridges across the multitude of perspectives. We facilitate the forging of connections that will ultimately create deeper and more meaningful understanding across the myriad of individuals who belong to Harvard’s network.

Visit the C&C website

A group photo of the Office of Culture and Community staff at the 2026 First Day of Classes (FDOC) event.

Ivy+ Rural Symposium