The Rural Communication Institute (RCI)

We are pleased you are visiting the website of the Rural Communication Institute at Tarleton State University. The Rural Communication Institute (#ThinkRuralComm) is focused on helping people live, learn, and thrive in rural areas of Texas, the United States, and beyond.

Mission

  • To serve as the primary resource for rural communication in the United States while connecting individuals in rural areas with resources to help them live, learn, and thrive.

Objectives

  • Serving as a research and informational resource focused on rural communication for governmental organizations (national, state, local), educational institutions, and non-profit organizations.
  • Preparing rural populations for the future with innovative technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR).
  • Addressing and developing best practices for rural education, housing, and health.
  • Providing high impact experiences for rural scholars, graduate students, and undergraduate students.

If your organization would like to form a partnership with the Rural Communication Institute, please contact us: 254-307-8211 or jtedwards@tarleton.edu.

Meet Our Rural Communication Leadership Team

Meet Our Rural Communication Scholars

  • TBA

Meet Our Rural Communication Undergraduate and Graduate Student Fellows

Our Rural Master’s, Doctoral, and Communication Practitioner Fellows are:

  • CareyLyn Ryan, Tarleton State University, Industry Fellow
  • Alba Zarate, Tarleton State University, Industry Fellow
  • Lauryn Harris, Tarleton State University, Industry Fellow
  • Ahmet Aksoy, Texas Tech University (Faculty Fellow)
  • Amber Taylor, Texas Tech University (Undergraduate Fellow)
  • Mark Mazuera, Tarleton State University (Undergraduate Fellow)
  • Renata Maron, Industry Fellow

Currently, RCI hosts an annual Rural Communication Summit each fall. Connect with jtedwards@tarleton.edu for more details.

Texas Social Media Month – November 2021 (Final) by jennifertedwards

Rural Fellows (Past Years):

  • Shitara Taylor, Tarleton State University
  • Anna Laurent, M.A., Tarleton State University
  • Sydney Brown, Tarleton State University
  • Angela Castillo, Texas Wesleyan University

Rural Scholars (Past Years):

  • Ava Francesca Battocchio – Michigan State University (Lansing, MI)
  • Clinton Brown – Marshall University (Huntington, WV)
  • Courtney Cole – Regis College (Weston, MA)
  • Xuewei Chen – Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK)
  • Ashleigh Day – University of Texas at Tyler (Tyler, TX)
  • Subi Gandhi – Tarleton State University (Stephenville, TX)
  • Allison Hahn – City University of New York (New York City, NY)
  • Kevin Hales – University of Missouri (Columbia, MO)
  • Son Mai – McNeese State University (Lake Charles, LA)
  • Rob Patterson – University of Virginia/McIntire School of Commerce (Crozet, VA)
  • Nicola Ritter – Texas A&M University (College Station, TX)
  • Ashli Stokes – University of North Carolina – Charlotte (Charlotte, NC)
  • Bryce Tellmann – South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (Rapid City, SD)
  • Bradley Wolfe – Ridgewater College (Nicollet, MN)