Providing future teacher-leaders with an experience that will span both rural and urban cultures and prepare students for their roles as teachers was the main topic at a recent Rural Urban Collaborative symposium at Ohio University Southern on Friday.

The Rural Urban Collaborative is a partnership among Ohio University, Ohio Dominican University and other school partners and provides a link between the universities and local schools on both rural Appalachian counties and urban Columbus.

“(The collaboration) provides the framework to help students foster a deeper awareness of how to examine, understand and assess a variety of cultural experiences and issues whether based on gender, race, class or locality,” according to a press release from the RUC.

The all day event took place in OUS’ Bowman Auditorium and featured several speakers. Rural Urban Collaborative Coordinator Dr. Mindy Rutherford gave the introduction and OUS Interim Dean Dan Evans welcomed the audience before Dr. David Lucas gave a speech titled “Window Rock: A Fortress of Faith and Freedom.”

Keynote speaker was Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow Dr. Barbara Bucker who spoke about “Education: From Place to Prominence” and an educator panel comprised of South Point Schools Assistant Superintendent T.J. Howard, South Point Elementary Principal Chris Mathes and Spring Hill Elementary Principal Pam Bailey.

“As the landscape of teaching is ever-changing, we believe it is our duty to prepare students and help foster a deeper awareness of how to examine, understand and assess a variety of cultural experiences and issues based on gender, race, social class and geographic locality,” is the RUC’s mission according to a press release.