#  Ivy+ Rural Symposium 

 



##  Ivy+ Rural Symposium 

 Office of Culture and Community presents 

 

 

       ![A sunset view of Dunster House on the bridge with Weeks Bridge in the foreground.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7076/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2025-04/Harvard-Yale_112324_2425%28forweb_misconduct%29.jpg?itok=ttwDjyPz) 

 

 



 

 



The Harvard College [Office of Culture & Community (C&C)](/office-culture-community/about-culture-community "About Culture and Community (C&C)") and the [Harvard Undergraduate Rural League (HURL)](https://www.harvardundergradrural.org/) 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.



 

 

 [ Register for the Symposium arrow\_circle\_right ](https://harvard.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8eSeySJTetS7sfc) 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 



 

 

 

 

##  Agenda 

SortTimeSession### Friday, October 9



 

5-7PM

#### **Registration & Reception**

*Smith Campus Center, 10th floor*



### Saturday, October 10



 

8:45-9:15AM

#### **Welcome by Conference Host**

*Hilles, 59 Shepard St, Cambridge, MA*

[Dr. Alta Mauro](https://dso.college.harvard.edu/people/alta-mauro-phd), Associate Dean of Student for Culture & Community; [Dr. Andi Wright](https://dso.college.harvard.edu/people/andrea-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 co-Presidents of [Harvard Undergraduate Rural League](https://www.harvardundergradrural.org/)



10:10-11:10AM

#### **Conference Session I**

**Health & Public Health**

*Hilles, 59 Shepard St, Cambridge, MA*

Dr. Keon L. Gilbert, Brookings Institute Senior Fellow; Associate Professor, St. Louis University; Dr. Matthew Tobey, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School & Director of Rural Medicine Programs, Massachusetts General Hospital



11:15AM-12:15PM

#### **Conference Session II**

**Rural Education**

*Hilles, 59 Shepard St, Cambridge, MA*

[Dr. Kristie LeBeau](https://www.udel.edu/academics/colleges/biden-school/people/klebeau/), Visiting Assistant Professor, Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration, University of Deleware; Maddie Register '28, 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](https://kappanonline.org/rural-communities-sky-marietta/), Assistant Professor, University of the Cumberlands



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](https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-joseph-black), Co-President of Harvard Undergraduate Rural League (HURL), Harvard College; [Kevin Scanlan '27](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinmscanlan), 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](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-w-mclean), Assistant Director for Recruitment, Harvard College Admissions



3:45-4:05PM

#### **Closing Remarks**

*Hilles, 59 Shepard St, Cambridge, MA*

[Dr. Alta Mauro](https://dso.college.harvard.edu/people/alta-mauro-phd), Associate Dean of Student for Culture & Community; [Dr. Andi Wright](https://dso.college.harvard.edu/people/andrea-wright), Allston Burr Resident Dean of Eliot House & Lecturer in Anthropology, Faculty Chair; [Thomas Dunne](/people/thomas-dunne "Thomas Dunne"), Dean of Students at Harvard College



4:05-5:30PM

#### **Reception**









 

 

##  Symposium Speakers 

 



  [### Alta Mauro

 ](https://dso.college.harvard.edu/people/alta-mauro-phd)Associate Dean of Culture & Community, Harvard College



 

   ![A headshot of Alta Mauro.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7076/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-09/AltaMauro_Headshot.png?itok=HLNl6_iK) 

 

 

 

  [### Thomas Dunne

 ](/people/thomas-dunne)Dean of Students, Harvard College



 

   ![A headshot of Thomas Dunne.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7076/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-09/ThomasDunne_Headshot.png?itok=AnHGWV02) 

 

 

 

  [### Andrea Wright

 ](/people/andrea-wright)Allston Burr Resident Dean of Eliot House & Lecturer in Anthropology, Faculty Chair



 

   ![A headshot of Andrea Wright.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7076/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-09/AndiWright_Headshot.png?itok=VCpwIB87) 

 

 

 

  [### Justin Black '27

 ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-joseph-black)Co-President, Harvard Undergraduate Rural League (HURL)



 

   ![A headshot of Justin Black.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7076/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-09/JustinBlack_Headshot.png?itok=QMdN11pF) 

 

 

 

  [### Kevin Scanlan '27

 ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinmscanlan)Co-President, Harvard Undergraduate Rural League (HURL)



 

   ![A headshot of Kevin Scanlan.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7076/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-09/KevinScanlan_Headshot.png?itok=c74NiZre) 

 

 

 

  [### Keon L. Gilbert

 ](https://www.brookings.edu/people/keon-l-gilbert/)Brookings Institute Senior Fellow; Associate Professor, St. Louis University



 

   ![A headshot of Keon L. Gilbert.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7076/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-09/KeonLGilbert_Headshot.png?itok=BfZELn-r) 

 

 

 

  [### Matthew Lawrence Tobey, M.D.

 ](https://connects.catalyst.harvard.edu/Profiles/display/Person/99572)Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Director of Rural Medicine Programs, Massachusetts General Hospital



 

   ![A headshot of Matthew Lawrence Tobey.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7076/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-09/MatthewLawrenceTobey_Headshot.png?itok=hRc7vqDh) 

 

 

 

  [### Kristie LeBeau

 ](https://www.udel.edu/academics/colleges/biden-school/people/klebeau/)Visiting Assistant Professor, Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration, University of Deleware



 

   ![A headshot of Kristie LeBeau.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7076/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-09/KristieLeBeau_Headshot.png?itok=MJUtAbaI) 

 

 

 

  [### Maddilyn Register '28

 ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/maddilynregister)Harvard College Sophomore, Office of Culture and Community (C&C) Student Worker



 

   ![A headshot of Maddilyn Register.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7076/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-09/MaddieRegister_Headshot.png?itok=-O-1D-I8) 

 

 

 

  [### Sky Marietta

 ](https://kappanonline.org/rural-communities-sky-marietta/)Assistant Professor, University of the Cumberlands



 

   ![A headshot of Sky Marietta.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7076/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-09/SkyMarietta_Headshot.png?itok=35HtKRB8) 

 

 

 

 ### Joy St. John

Director of Admissions, Harvard College



 

   ![A headshot of Joy St. John.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7076/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-09/JoyStJohn_Headshot.png?itok=aydCuSt3) 

 

 

 

  [### Ian McLean

 ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-w-mclean)Assistant Director for Recruitment, Harvard College Admissions



 

   ![A headshot of Ian McLean.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7076/files/styles/hwp_16_9__480x270/public/2026-09/IanMcLean_Headshot.png?itok=N4lyxm98) 

 

 

 

  

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##  Register for the Symposium 

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



 

 



 [ Register arrow\_circle\_right ](https://harvard.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8eSeySJTetS7sfc) 

 

 

 

 

 

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 arrow\_circle\_right ](/office-culture-community/about-culture-community) 

 



      ![A group photo of the Office of Culture and Community staff at the 2026 First Day of Classes (FDOC) event.](/sites/g/files/omnuum7076/files/styles/hwp_1_1__480x480/public/2026-09/26-09-02_%20Harvard_%20First%20Day%20of%20Classes%20Photos.jpg?itok=XJd25hNi)