The Virginia Tech Center for Rural Education joins RSC Hub Network
Rural Schools Collaborative announces the addition of the Virginia Tech Center for Rural Education as a new Regional Hub partner.
The Virginia Tech Center for Rural Education has long been a leader in rural education, and now joins the Rural Schools Collaborative Regional Hub Network in the summer of 2026. The Virginia Regional Hub will be co-led by Amy Price Azano, founding Director of the Virginia Tech Center for Rural Education (CRE) and a professor of rural education and adolescent literacy in the School of Education, and Clint Whitten, Research Scientist and Associate Director of the CRE.
The CRE works with transdisciplinary teams from Virginia Tech and beyond, particularly partners in rural communities, to understand and address the complex challenges that impact rural schooling. This includes providing professional development for rural teachers and education leaders, and engaging in research and outreach that focus on rural schools and communities. Other signature projects include the Summer Enrichment Experience at Virginia Tech, Rural Belonging in Local and Global Contexts: Study Abroad, the Rural Film Festival, Front Porch Conversations, and the Rural Literature Library.
At the root of it all are close collaborations with rural leaders and schools. Amy describes that “Partnerships are essential to the Center for Rural Education’s mission because meaningful and lasting change in rural education happens through collaboration. We believe that rural communities hold tremendous strengths, assets, and expertise, and our role is to work alongside schools, families, and community partners to support educational opportunity and community vitality. Through community-driven partnerships, place-based education, and shared storytelling, we co-develop initiatives that reflect local priorities while connecting rural communities to broader networks and resources.”
As a center dedicated to authentically partnering with and supporting rural education, then, Amy and Clint felt that joining the RSC Regional Hub Network was a natural fit: “While honoring the unique context of Virginia’s rural communities, we are excited to connect our work to broader national conversations, resources, and funding opportunities. Through the CRE’s expertise in rural talent development, rural education research, practice, and policy, as well as our long-standing partnerships with rural schools and communities across Virginia, nationally, and globally, we look forward to both contributing to and learning from this vibrant community of practice.”
Just as Rural Schools Collaborative seeks to support strong education ecosystems regionally, the CRE takes a similar approach in rural Appalachia. Amy explains that “Through a community and ecosystem-approach in rural scholarship, we collaborate on grant-funded projects that use research and evidence-based practices to strengthen rural education systems. Current efforts include the Rural Principal Pipeline (Wallace Foundation), Storying the FEW Nexus (USDA NIFA), and the Appalachian Hydrogen Hub (Appalachian Regional Commission), all of which support innovation and capacity-building in rural educational ecosystems.”
Clint adds that the “The Center for Rural Education serves rural communities through a three-part approach that integrates K–12 partnerships, community engagement, and rural-focused scholarship. Through K–12 rural partnerships, we collaborate directly with rural schools and communities to expand educational opportunities. This includes summer and Saturday enrichment programs, rural mentorship initiatives, and professional learning opportunities for rural educators designed to support teaching and learning in rural contexts.”
At the heart of all of the center’s work is authentic, trust-based relationships, which aligns with the ethos of RSC’s other Hub Network partners. Amy and Clint reflect that “We are most proud of the ways the Center for Rural Education translates research into meaningful, sustained impact for rural schools, students, and communities through authentic, place-based partnerships. Our work is grounded in critical, equity-centered rural education research that elevates rural voices and knowledge while addressing structural inequities in schooling.
"The Center for Rural Education at Virginia Tech has been a longtime leader in rural education. We are so excited to learn from and alongside their expertise as part of the Regional Hub Network," shares Taylor McCabe-Juhnke, RSC Executive Director. “As RSC and the Center for Rural Education at Virginia Tech kick off this new partnership, RSC is honored to embark on a shared journey rooted in trust, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to rural communities.”