Our guest speaker on July 18 was Tricia Coates, director of UVM’s Office of Engagement and the Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships. Her office facilitates connections between UVM and Vermont organizations, businesses, and agencies to support the economy and communities. Among the many diverse projects where faculty and students bring value throughout the state are the piloting of a community school model in five schools; a research project in Windham County with the Ethiopian Community Development Council, a refugee resettlement organization; and the development of a map of wastewater capacity by parcel throughout the state to guide municipalities and developers. Under the office's umbrella is also the Community News Service, a program that provides UVM students with opportunities to engage in journalism while supporting local newspapers and expanding reporting throughout the state.
Tricia has a special connection to the Williston-Richmond Rotary club as her father, Mike Coates, was a founding member and beloved friend of many in the club.
To read about the Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships, go to: https://www.uvm.edu/ruralpartnerships
To see and hear Tricia's talk with our Rotary club, go to: https://youtu.be/TxmT3HJ9XQI