Virginia

RSC’s Virginia Hub is anchored by The Virginia Tech Center for Rural Education.

The Center for Rural Education at Virginia Tech (CRE) aims to advance educational opportunities in rural communities through research and outreach, forming partnerships to understand and address the complex challenges that impact rural schooling. Our Virginia Hub is co-lead by Dr. Amy Price Azano, Director of the Center for Rural Education at Virginia Tech and a professor of rural education and adolescent literacy in the School of Education, and Dr. Clint Whitten, Associate Director for the Center for Rural Education at Virginia Tech and research scientist.

While honoring the unique context of our region, the team at the Center for Rural Education hopes to connect Virginia’s rural education efforts to broader conversations, resources, and funding opportunities. The CRE provides a deep expertise in rural education research, practice, and policy, coupled with long-term partnerships with rural schools and communities across Virginia, nationally, and globally.

Work at the Center for Rural Education can be organized into three buckets: K-12 Rural Partnerships, Rural at Virginia Tech & Community, and the Rural Scholarship. Key initiatives include:

Summer Enrichment Experience at Virginia Tech (SEE VT)—A residential, place-based summer program for rural middle school students designed to foster academic enrichment, rural belonging, and educational pathways.
Supporting Rural Hokies: Rural Belonging in Local & Global Contexts—A study abroad experience for Virginia Tech undergraduates focused on rural belonging across local and global contexts.
Rural Education Summit—An annual convening dedicated on rotating themes in rural education including wellness, secondary pathways, and talent development.
Rural Literature Library & Place-Based Professional Learning—a free online digital library highlighting rural children’s, middle grades, and YA texts, alongside professional resources for educators exploring place-based pedagogy.

Deepening rural knowledge through academic experiences

SEE VT (Summer Enrichment Experience at Virginia Tech) is a one-week residential summer camp on Virginia Tech’s campus for middle school students living in rural communities. The program is designed to meet the academic enrichment and social-emotional needs of learners by promoting a sense of rural belonging and introducing place-based humanities and STEM opportunities that emphasize a connection to home and community.

Spotlight

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 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.