NEWSROOM
IN THE NEWS / December 10, 2024 / REV CENTER
Oregon Community Foundation Gives Grants
SALEM – The Oregon Community Foundation has granted a total of $907,500 to nonprofits that support economic development. The awards go to nonprofit organizations that support innovative economic development throughout the state, some of them benefiting programs in this area. Learn more >
NEWS RELEASE / September 25, 2024 / REV CENTER
Job Seekers in Eastern Oregon to Benefit from Improved Hiring Resources
People seeking employment in Eastern Oregon will benefit from the expansion of a regional job board.
The High Desert Partnership has announced the rebranding and expansion of its Eastern Oregon Jobs Board, formerly known as the Southeast Oregon Jobs Board. This is an effort to increase employment opportunities throughout Eastern Oregon for people looking for work in the natural resources sector. Learn more >
REV featured in national media
Chronicle of Higher Education - April 30, 2024
TIME Magazine - March 2, 2020
March 2, 2020 -
How Students in Oregon Are Bridging the Rural and Urban Divide
by Madeleine Carlisle
IN THE NEWS / September 3, 2024 / WALLOWA COUNTY CHIEFTAIN
Shedding light on Joseph's housing issues: Meeting draws full house, many questions
JOSEPH — Jean Jancaitis, the chair of the Joseph Planning Commission, came right to the point:
“Joseph,” she told about 50 people at a Planning Commission meeting Monday, Aug. 26 at The Place in Joseph, “has had a housing problem for a very long time.”
And the main reason for Monday's meeting of the planning commission — a government body that typically doesn’t generate standing-room-only crowds — was to talk about tentative findings of a project to analyze Joseph’s housing market. Learn more >
NEWS RELEASE / AUGUST 19, 2024 / REV CENTER
Upcoming City of Joseph Meeting on Housing Needs
The City of Joseph Planning Commission will hold a meeting to discuss the city's housing needs and available land for building new homes. The meeting will be held August 26 at 6pm at "The Place" on 303 S Lake St.
An overview of a project will be given, providing the details of a study of Joseph's housing situation, including data on how much land is available for housing and what the housing market in Joseph looks like. This meeting is an opportunity for community members to learn more and share their thoughts on the city’s supply of residential buildable land and housing market conditions. Learn more >
August 20, 2024, Wallowa County Chieftain: Joseph Planning Commission to Discuss Housing
IN THE NEWS / AUGUST 20, 2024
A packed house talks housing
Northeast Oregon Housing Summit draws a crowd
LA GRANDE — More than 200 government officials, builders, construction workers and architects met Thursday, Aug. 15, in La Grande to discuss housing in Eastern Oregon. Learn more >
NEWS RELEASE / AUGUST 5, 2024 / REV CENTER
Union County & REV Selected for National Program
Moving individuals and families out of poverty is the goal of a program Union County has been selected to be a part of. The county is one of only 10 rural counties in the nation to be part of the initiative.
This is the first year of the program, called Rural Leaders for Economic Mobility. RLEM consists of teams of county elected officials and non-elected county leaders who have limited technical and staffing resources but who are deeply committed to building stronger and more resilient economies in their communities. RLEM was created by the National Association of Counties. Learn more >
July 7, 2024, Elkhorn Media Group: Union County & local nonprofit selected for national program
Union County Commissioner Paul Anderes and REV Executive Directory Grace Donovan attended the National Association of Counties Annual Conference in Tampa, FL in July. NACo awarded Union County the Rural Leaders for Economic Mobility grant.
IN THE NEWS
Project collaboration wins ACE award for outstanding community engagement
LA GRANDE, Ore. - A project born out of a collaboration between students from Eastern Oregon University, the Rural Engagement & Vitality Center, Euvalcree and Morrow County is being awarded the Most Outstanding Project in a Small Jurisdiction: Achievement in Community Engagement (ACE) Award.
July 15, 2024, Apple Valley News Now.com: Project collaboration wins ACE award for outstanding community engagement
August 2, 2024, East Oregonian: Morrow County rural transportation project receives award
IN THE NEWS / JULY 10, 2024 / USDA BLOG
Reflections from the Road in Oregon: Building Trust and Partnerships so Rural Communities Thrive
On June 18, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) held its Pacific Northwest Regional Equity Convening on the beautiful grounds of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s Tamastslikt Cultural Institute in Pendleton, Oregon. Nestled in the heart of rural communities, this event was more than just a meeting—it was a heartfelt gathering aimed at nurturing trust and forging partnerships essential for rural communities to thrive. Learn more >
IN THE NEWS / APRIL 30, 2024 / THE CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Local Students, Local Jobs
How Eastern Oregon University uses strategic partnerships to launch rural careers
REV was featured in a case study by the Chronicle of Higher Education, “How a Rural College Works to Prevent ‘Brain Drain.’” The study explores how the university, REV, and numerous people and organizations support rural students. The goal of these organizations is to build thriving rural communities by providing opportunities for graduates to build careers and a promising future in rural spaces. Learn more >
NEWS RELEASE / APRIL 18, 2024 / REV CENTER
The Urban Rural Theater Project: Unveiling Oregon’s Authentic Narrative
In its initial theatrical debut, the Urban Rural Theater Project presents a workshop reading of a play crafted from four years of interviews with Oregonians, aiming to foster authentic dialogue about the state's identity.
Scheduled public readings will take place in McKenzie Theater at Eastern Oregon University, on April 25, 26, & 27 at 7:00 PM, providing a unique opportunity for audiences to engage with Oregon's diverse narrative. Tickets are not required and there is no cost to attend. Learn more >
IN THE NEWS / APRIL 14, 2024 / LA GRANDE OBSERVER
Urban Rural Theater Project debuts in late April at Eastern Oregon University
IN THE NEWS / MARCH 25, 2024 / LA GRANDE OBSERVER
Blue Mountains National Forests announce forest plan revision meetings
PENDLETON — The Malheur, Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman national forests in the Blue Mountains are hosting a series of public meetings in April about the Forest Plan Revision Draft Assessment and corresponding documents.
According to a press release from the U.S. Forest Service, the Blue Mountains national forests are in the process of revising the land management plans (forest plans), which provide the overall strategic management direction and guidance for the Blue Mountains National Forests. The plans are in the assessment phase, which is the second phase of 10 steps of the forest plan revision process under the 2012 Planning Rule. Learn more >
IN THE NEWS / DECEMBER 18, 2023 / EAST OREGONIAN
Bus route to 'Loop' around Morrow County
BOARDMAN — Starting in the new year, Morrow County residents will have a new transit option. The Loop, an on-demand transit service within the county, is expanding to include a free, fixed-route bus line between Heppner and Boardman as well as one within Boardman. Learn more >
NEWS RELEASE / DECEMBER 2023 / EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
Connecting Communities and Building Bridges
LA GRANDE — Embarking on a journey with her classmates through the bustling heart of Portland, EOU student and Pendleton, Oregon native Addison Bonzani experienced the rush of city life for the first time. Learn more >
IN THE NEWS / DECEMBER 17, 2023 /EAST OREGONIAN
Legacy of Pendleton’s Scott Fairley Continues to Build Bridges
LA GRANDE — Embarking on a journey with her classmates through the bustling heart of Portland, Eastern Oregon University student and Pendleton native Addison Bonzani experienced the rush of city life for the first time. But getting here was not a simple process, according to a press release from EOU. Two powerful forces conspired to make her adventure possible: the Urban-Rural Ambassador Institute and the indomitable spirit of Pendleton's Scott Fairley. Learn more >
IN THE NEWS / DECEMBER 7, 2023 / LA GRANDE OBSERVER
Joseph Joins Program to Help with Planning Work
Before construction workers start building housing units in the numbers called for by Gov. Tina Kotek, local governments need to plan for development. But there’s a potential hang-up there, especially in rural communities throughout Eastern Oregon: Many rural governments often don’t have much expertise in creating documents such as comprehensive plans and buildable land inventories — key tools for community planning. Out of 59 cities spanning 10 counties in Eastern Oregon, just seven have access to professional planning staff. Learn more >
IN THE NEWS / DECEMBER 6, 2023 / EAST OREGONIAN
Betting on the House: Eastern Oregon Communities Try Different Approaches to Housing Crunch
For Whitney Murdoch, it all started in the town of Wallowa in the weeks following the August 2022 hailstorm that devastated the town, causing millions of dollars in damage to vehicles, businesses and homes. She was working for the Blue Mountain Long-Term Recovery Group to help residents get the resources they needed to rebuild — and she decided to start looking for a place to live herself. It took her most of a year. Learn more >
NEWS RELEASE / NOVEMBER 15, 2023 / REV CENTER
Examining Transportation Needs in Morrow County, Oregon
Underserved residents and employees in Morrow County face daily transportation challenges, as a recently published report titled "Rural Transportation Equity in Morrow County" highlights. This comprehensive report focuses on Morrow County residents' transportation needs and obstacles, specifically highlighting the elderly, individuals under 18, and those for whom English is a second language. Learn more >
IN THE NEWS / NOVEMBER 8, 2023 / ELKHORN MEDIA GROUP
EOU’S REV Center Launches Rural Planning Program with the City of Joseph
The Rural Engagement & Vitality (REV) Center, an initiative of Eastern Oregon University (EOU) and Wallowa Resources, is proud to announce its inaugural program to provide city and urban planning support to rural eastern Oregon communities lacking full-time or dedicated planning staff with funding from the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD). Learn more >
IN THE NEWS / NOVEMBER 7, 2023 / WALLOWA COUNTY CHIEFTAIN
Joseph joins program to offer planning aid
JOSEPH — The city of Joseph will be an inaugural participant in a program intended to provide planning support to rural Eastern Oregon communities lacking full-time or dedicated planning staff. The program will help Joseph officials conduct a buildable land inventory, in addition to analyzing city policies and building codes — steps that could help the city craft strategies around the creation of workforce housing. Learn more >
IN THE NEWS / MARCH 27, 2023 / LA GRANDE OBSERVER
Eastern Oregon Leadership Meet with Governor Kotek
Commissioners and representatives from several Eastern Oregon Counties, including Union County, met directly with Governor Tina Kotek recently. The governor visited Eastern Oregon, specifically Union and Wallowa counties, in person May 4 and 5 as part of the ongoing One Oregon Listening Tour. Learn more >
Urban Rural Ambassadors Institute Challenges Urban-Rural Ideas
The Urban Rural Ambassadors Institute, a course for Eastern Oregon University and Portland State University students meant to bridge the gap between urban and rural settings, is returning for the first time since 2020. Learn more >
EOU FOUNDATION NEWS / SPRING 2023 / from EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY’S MOUNTAINEER MAGAZINE
IN THE NEWS / NOVEMBER 2, 2022 / OREGON PUBLIC RADIO’S THINK OUT LOUD
IN THE NEWS / MARCH 16, 2023 / PACIFIC NORTHWEST AG NETWORK
IN THE NEWS / MARCH 20, 2023 / NEWSOFOREGON.COM
From La Grande to Portland, Students Act as Rural Ambassadors
Students from La Grande to Portland will be offered a unique opportunity to learn about the rich diversity in Oregon when they participate in the 2023 Urban-Rural Ambassador program being offered in May. Learn more >
Resilience in Rural Communities: EOU Faculty and Students Empower Local Communities through Insights
You’ve probably heard reference to the “REV” Center before. Or at least know EOU has a REV Center. The Rural Engagement & Vitality – or REV – Center is a joint venture between Eastern Oregon University and Wallowa Resources with the goal and intent of serving as a hub to connect students, faculty, staff, and community, to the revitalization of the rural region of Oregon, and beyond. Learn more >
NEWS RELEASE / MARCH 10, 2023 / EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
Summer Institutes at EOU Provide more than Opportunity, They Provide Credit Hours
The Summer Institutes at Eastern Oregon University (EOU) are a great way for high school students to keep learning through the summer as well as earn college credit. The institutes are designed to allow high school students to experience campus, explore different colleges and majors, and get started on their path to becoming a Mountaineer. Learn more >
EOU Minute: What is the REV?
EOU's Tim Seydel tells us about the REV Center and how it helps the school stay connected to its rural roots. Learn more >
Report Finds Grant County Most Affected by Forest Service Decisions
NOVEMBER 2, 2022
Oregon Public Radio’s Think Out Loud
A new report from the Rural Engagement and Vitality Center looked at the economies of Eastern Oregon counties and how decisions made by the U.S. Forest Service would affect them. Out of all the areas east of the Cascades, Grant County would face the biggest impacts because of its reliance on the agency. Peter Maille is a professor of economics at Eastern Oregon University and one of the authors of the report. Jim Hamsher is the Grant County Commissioner. They both join us to share the role the federal agency plays in Eastern Oregon communities. Learn more >
IN THE NEWS / JULY 11, 2022 / OREGON PARKS FOREVER
NEWS RELEASE / OCTOBER 11, 2021 / EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
IN THE NEWS / APRIL 24, 2019 / EAST OREGONIAN
EOU FOUNDATION NEWS / AUGUST 30, 2022 / EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY’S MOUNTAINEER MAGAZINE
BLOG / STATE OF OREGON DEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY: AIR, LAND & WATER / AUGUST 27, 2021
IN THE NEWS / MARCH 2, 2020 / TIME MAGAZINE
IN THE NEWS / SEPTEMBER 28, 2022 / BLUE MOUNTAIN EAGLE
Grant County’s Economy Inextricably Linked to Forest Service
As the U.S. Forest Service makes another run at updating land management plans on three national forests in Eastern Oregon and Southeast Washington, the authors of an in-depth economic analysis ranked Grant County as the most likely to experience financial impacts — good or bad — due to forest management decisions, and the least likely to bounce back from a financial crisis. Learn more >
Student Futures Built on Real Work
In times of uncertainty, the simple act of being listened to goes a long way. Recently, Assistant Professor of Public Administration Daniel Costie and the Rural Engagement and Vitality Center (REV Center) helped bring a voice to several rural Oregon communities. REV partnered with Euvalcree, a nonprofit community support organization based out of Malheur County, to complete the group’s Needs Assessment Project. Euvalcree engages with and mobilizes underrepresented populations, such as the LatinX community, to develop social capital and leadership capacity in community members. The work included two surveys gauging the social and economic impact of COVID-19 on communities in Malheur, Morrow and Umatilla counties. Learn more >
Cottonwood Crossing Summer Institute Concludes for 2022
Oregon Parks Forever was pleased to once again be able to provide scholarship support for students to attend this year’s Cottonwood Crossing Summer Institute. This is a week-long residential field studies program for high school students in grades 9-12. Learn more >
IN THE NEWS / MAY 11, 2023 / NORTHEASTERN OREGON NEWS
IN THE NEWS / APRIL 18, 2022 / OREGON PARKS FOREVER
Cottonwood Crossing Summer Institute Applications are Open
High school students who are interested in culture, science, and the environment are encouraged to apply for the Cottonwood Crossing Summer Institute! Held each summer at Cottonwood Canyon State Park, the institute is a week-long residential field studies program with course options in cultural studies and natural resources. Learn more >
Urban-Rural Theater Project Begins Scripting its One-of-a-Kind Production
A year in the making, theatre artists Sarah and Jack Greenman have begun the next major phase of the Urban-Rural Theater Project. The project found its origins in Sarah and Jack’s time living in the rural community of Halfway, Oregon and the contrast to their prior experience in urban Dallas, Texas. Learn more >
NEWS RELEASE / JANUARY 11, 2017 / EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
BLOG / JANUARY 2021 / cycleoregon.com
Cycle Oregon - Grant Studies
REV’s Urban Rural Theater Project was among 10 2019 Cycle Oregon Fund Community Project Grants recipients, receiving $5000 to “support the Urban Rural Theater Project (through the Rural Engagement & Vitality Center), which gives voice to unheard narratives, honors the stories of those interviewed and invites audiences into a deeper conversation about community.” Learn more >
EOU FOUNDATION NEWS / MAY 28, 2021 / from EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY’S MOUNTAINEER MAGAZINE
Economic Research Promises Better Data for Rural Counties
The Rural Engagement and Vitality (REV) Center, a partnership of EOU and Wallowa Resources, facilitates connections between the university and communities in Eastern Oregon. This year, two professors and two students began developing one of these connections through the Socioeconomic Community Profiles Project. The profiles, commissioned jointly by the Blues Intergovernmental Council (BIC), Eastern Oregon Counties Association, U.S. Forest Service and Indigenous tribes, reveal potential risk and opportunities in small rural economies. Learn more >
Cottonwood Crossing Summer Institute Marks Eight Years of Outdoor Learning
For eight years, high school students in rural communities have earned college credits and learned about watershed science in the outdoor classroom provided by the Cottonwood Crossing Summer Institute. The program includes hands-on learning at Cottonwood Canyon State Park, Oregon’s largest at 8,000 acres. Learn more >
IN THE NEWS / OCTOBER 27, 2020 / LA GRANDE OBSERVER and WALLOWA COUNTY CHIEFTAIN
REV Center Research to Help Local Economies
Local economies will receive a boost in data that could benefit them and provide vital information to the U.S. Forest Service and its effort to create a multi-use plan for the national forests in the Blue Mountains. The Rural Engagement and Vitality Center, a partnership between Eastern Oregon University and Wallowa Resources, is working to collect data to better understand the the economic effects of the U.S. Forest Service’s Blue Mountains Forest Plan. The Blues Intergovernmental Council, a subcommittee of the Eastern Oregon Counties Association, is spearheading the project. Learn more >
IN THE NEWS / OCTOBER 22, 2020 / EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
Economic Research Promises Better Data for Rural Counties
The Rural Engagement and Vitality (REV) Center, a partnership of Eastern Oregon University and Wallowa Resources, works toward building connections between the university and community members. Recently, two professors and two students began developing one of these partnerships through Community Profiles and Economic Impact Analysis. Faculty and students from EOU will provide socioeconomic research and analytical services for counties and communities to facilitate the understanding of current conditions and trends, support various planning efforts, and undertake economic impact analysis of specific projects or investments in the region. Learn more >
NEWS RELEASE / OCTOBER 19, 2020 / EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
Harmonizing Communities Statewide: EOU President Tom Insko Speaks to Students in the Urban-Rural Ambassadors Summer Instituted in 2018
The Rural Engagement and Vitality (REV) Center—a program started by Eastern Oregon University and Wallowa Resources in January—has already embarked on a project to connect rural and urban Oregonians.
“The mission of the REV Center is to connect EOU faculty and students with the regional community through meaningful projects,” said REV Center Program Manager Julie Keniry. Learn more >
NEWS RELEASE / SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 / EASTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
Celebrating Small Business
Entrepreneurs in Union County and across the nation celebrate Small Business Week Sept. 22 to 24.
The university hosts the region’s Small Business Development Center, a member of the Oregon Small Business Development Network (SBDCN) that contributes to workforce and economic development. Learn more >
IN THE NEWS / MARCH 20, 2020 / from CLACKAMAS REVIEW
Renewable Energy is a Benefit to Everyone
“…The Urban Rural Ambassadors Summer Institute between students in La Grande and Portland is yet one more example of a collaborative vision for the future, involving a summer student exchange program with discussions of shared goals, as well as appreciation of differences.” Learn more >
How Students in Oregon are Bridging the Rural and Urban Divide
Amanda Courtois grew up in Weiser, Idaho, a town of around 5,000 people, and studies ecological biology at Eastern Oregon University. Scotty Johnson grew up in Portland, Ore., and studies community development with a minor in conflict resolution at Portland State University. But in 2018, they spent 10 days trying to get to know each other’s worlds.
“The urban and rural divide does exist,” Courtois tells TIME. “You think of somebody living in a city as, you know, someone other.” Learn more >
Summer Institute Offers Hands-On Learning
A a weeklong residential field studies program for high school students is accepting applications. Offered by Eastern Oregon University, the Cottonwood Crossing Summer Institute takes place along the John Day River at Cottonwood Canyon State Park. Learn more >
IN THE NEWS / OCTOBER 9, 2018 / LA GRANDE OBSERVER
Urban-Rural Institute Bridges the East/West Divide
EOU and PSU students tour Eastern Oregon in mobile classroom
To better understand how the other half of the state lives, students from Oregon’s most rural campus and its most urban came together last summer for a six-day mobile classroom where they learned about everything from homelessness to rattlesnakes.
On a late summer evening, 11 students from Eastern Oregon University and Portland State University, along with their professors and a few locals, pulled tables together at the Imnaha Tavern and ordered beers, hamburgers, gizzards and French fries. Dinner followed a two-hour discussion with a panel of representatives from local health, education and government at the two-room Imnaha School. Learn more >
NEWS RELEASE / APRIL 30, 2018 / PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY
Kate Brown Announces PSU-EOU Urban-Rural Ambassadors Summer Institute
Governor Kate Brown announced a new partnership between Eastern Oregon University and Portland State University to increase collaboration and understanding across the urban-rural divide. Last weekend, Governor Kate Brown announced a new partnership between Eastern Oregon University and Portland State University to increase collaboration and understanding across the urban-rural divide.
“Our goal is to create a new pipeline of future leaders,” the Governor told a crowd gathered in La Grande at Eastern Oregon University on Saturday, April 27. Learn more >
EOU Receives Funding to Expand After-School Program to Increase Physical Activity, Address Cancer Burden in Union and Baker Counties
Efforts to address risk behaviors and improve overall health for cancer prevention are often targeted at adult populations, where cancer risk factors and behaviors are likely to have already taken root. But mounting evidence suggests there is a need for prevention programs at a younger age, too, as adolescence is a critical time for the adoption of behaviors that increase cancer risk. Learn more >
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