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Posted - October 5, 2011
Eureka College Programs to Discuss Future of Small-town America
eureka reads!
Eureka College will hold two programs to discuss the future of Middle America’s small towns in an era when educated and talented young people are leaving, the existing population is aging and the local economies are eroding.
The programs are in conjunction with the college’s First Year Seminar, which has assigned all first-year students to read the book “Hollowing Out the Middle: The Rural Brain Drain and What It Means for America.” The book explores how the migration of the best and brightest students from small-town America affects the communities they leave behind. Authors Patrick J. Carr and Maria J. Kefalas spent several years in a small Iowa town, interviewing residents, parents, teachers, counselors and students for research for their 2009 book.
Copies of the book are on sale at the Eureka College Book Store and on loan at the Eureka Public Library.
Both of the Eureka College programs are free and open to the public.
The first program will be a presentation titled "Hollowing Out the Middle: Historic Opportunities Wasted, Future Yet To Be Written" by Timothy Collins, assistant director of the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University, Macomb, at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25 in the Cerf Center. Collins, who is quoted in “Hollowing Out the Middle,” is an expert on the revitalization of small cities and rural areas. In the book, Collins outlines measures that address the globalization challenges for rural communities.
For more information about Collins’ presentation, contact Michael Thurwanger at (309) 467-6679.
The second program will be a “Eureka Reads!” discussion of “Hollowing Out the Middle” at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8 in the Cerf Center.
Eureka College alumni Shane Fogo, a physician at Advocate Medical Group, Eureka; Robert Gold, assistant superintendent of Community Unit School District 140; and Corrie Heck, chief operating officer at SEED communications agency, Honolulu, will participate in the discussion. Heck will join from Honolulu via Skype.
Students in the First Year Seminar, faculty and staff also will participate. The event is co-sponsored by Eureka Public Library.
“Anyone who would like to know more about ‘Hollowing Out the Middle’s’ conclusions or who would just like to find out for themselves if Eureka or any of our neighboring communities are in imminent danger of ‘brain drain’ is welcome to attend these programs,” said “Eureka Reads!” organizer Anthony Glass. For more information about the presentation, contact Glass at (309) 467-6382.
-30-
Contact:
Michele Lehman
Media Relations Coordinator
mlehman@eureka.edu
(309) 467-6318
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