Our Story
The Rural Engagement & Vitality Center is a non-profit organization which creates partnerships between Eastern Oregon University and entities in eastern Oregon to enhance the vitality of the region and develop tomorrow’s rural workforce and leaders.
Our Story
What is “rural”?
Launched in January 2020, the REV is a nonprofit and is a joint venture between Eastern Oregon University and Wallowa Resources. The REV is governed by its officers and board of directors. REV cultivates vibrant and prosperous communities throughout eastern Oregon connecting partners with much needed capacity and resources, including assets at EOU, to advance community and economic development.
The REV collaborates with regional partners to support efforts that make a difference toward resolving complex issues in eastern Oregon.
Whether in response to longstanding issues such as a lack of quality, affordable workforce housing or the coordination of responses to a global pandemic - these challenges require collaboration amongst a broad range of constituents. The REV can help convene partners and facilitate the efforts that will help us identify and reach our common goals.
How close you live to an urban or metro area adds to your understanding of life in a rural or urban setting. Many services tend to be located in areas with a higher population density — things like airports, public transportation, higher education, and specialized health care. Federal and state level service providers also tend to be located in urban and metro areas. Urban areas usually have more employment opportunities at higher wages and in multiple industries. All of these factors contribute to differences in opportunity and in the choices people make to live in rural areas, when they are privileged enough to make those choices.
By every definition, eastern Oregon is a rural place. The REV was created to build capacity in this region through collaboration and connecting regional resources. The REV builds partnerships between Eastern Oregon University and public and private organizations in eastern Oregon, supports opportunities for meaningful interactions between students and the regional community, and fosters a talent pipeline leading to opportunities for students to live and work in eastern Oregon after graduation.
Annual Programs
Pre-dating the creation of REV in 2020, EOU offered programs designed to help middle and high school students explore the outdoors through science, technology, reading and writing, engineering, arts, and math under the guidance of college interns.
Now coordinated through the REV, the Get Outside After School Activity Program (GO-ASAP), and the Cottonwood Crossing Summer Institute (CCSI) provide university students internships as they guide the middle and high school students through outdoor education and recreation.
In recent years, the Cottonwood Canyon Teacher Institute (CCTI) has been added. This four-day long residential place-based field studies program is for teachers from throughout Oregon.
