Rural Leadership Fellows Advance U.P. Projects

Four Northern Michigan University students have been selected to participate in the second cohort of NMU's Rural Leadership Fellowship Program, a public-private partnership with InvestUP that promotes immersive, project-based learning while also supporting U.P. economic and community development projects. The fellows and their project partners are: Aimee Doyle, Marquette County Emergency Management; Travis Garvey, Michigan Office of Rural Prosperity; Rachel Raak, Village of Laurium; and Miki Rogers, Partridge Creek Compost in Ishpeming.

The Rural Leadership Fellowship is a paid and scholarship-supported applied learning experience for students interested in rural economic development and public sector careers. Selected students receive a 100% tuition and fee scholarship as part of their financial aid package for the duration of their fellowships, and a stipend up to $15,000 to assist with living expenses. They are mentored by an advisory committee of experienced leaders in planning and executing a project in the U.P. that has been identified as a community economic development priority.

The program is focused on graduate student fellows enrolled in the Masters in Public Administration and Masters in Business programs, but undergraduate students are eligible to apply and may be selected on a case-by-case basis. It is funded by a rural capacity-building investment supported by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

Doyle is working with the Marquette County Emergency Management Department to implement a small business and nonprofit disaster resiliency initiative. She is learning nationally recognized best practices in emergency management, homeland security and workplace safety, while assisting the department in aligning federal and state assistance for small businesses and nonprofits with emergency management aid.

"I have set a comprehensive timeline of goals for the year 2025 after working closely with Marquette County Emergency Coordinator Brian Hummel," Doyle said. "I am excited to engage with diverse stakeholders, including township associations, tabletop exercises offered to the community, the UP Healthcare Coalition and local small business leaders to build collaborative solutions. I'll also be shadowing Dickinson County Emergency Manager Pete Schlitt, and meeting with the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center's emergency coordinator to learn best practices and explore how Marquette County can set a resiliency standard for the Upper Peninsula.

Doyle said her fellowship opportunity has been enriched by her master's-level coursework in Organizational Theory and Principles of Public Administration, and now classes in Human Resources Management and Public Sector Labor Relations.

"With the guidance and support of my professors, Dr. Brian Cherry and Dr. Jongeun You, I've been able to apply these concepts directly to my work," she added. "From developing emergency preparedness templates to planning a community Smart 911 outreach campaign, this fellowship allows me to combine academic insight with practical experience to create a meaningful, lasting impact."

Garvey is working with the Michigan Office of Rural Prosperity to support the rollout of a new program that assists underserved rural communities in developing plans for priority projects that are required for various public funding sources. Through this work, he is assisting the agency to provide planning support and technical assistance for underserved communities while also helping communities to navigate cross-governmental resources, including state agencies, institutions of higher learning, philanthropy and other partners.

"I have been helping develop a commercial property inventory for the city of Bridgman," Garvey said. "I've been working with local community leaders in the area to help achieve this task. Moving forward, we plan on sending out surveys to property owners and tenants to help fill gaps in our inventory. Another project I'm taking on is grant evaluation. I'm helping organize information in submitted applications and scoring specific sections of them. This semester, I'm hoping to learn more about what makes a great applicant and how best to allocate tax dollars."

Raak is assisting the Village of Laurium in developing its first 5-year Parks and Recreation Plan. Through this work, she is helping to support a major priority for the village, which will enable public funding eligibility to transform public park and recreation sites, such as the Gipp Ice Arena, ball fields and other public recreation access areas.

"My work updating the recreation plan is focusing on enhancing outdoor recreation opportunities," Raak said. "Rural communities often face challenges such as limited resources and funding, but this experience has emphasized the importance of collaboration and creative problem-solving. In addition to planning, I am assisting with grant writing to help secure the resources needed to bring these projects to life. My goal this semester is to help develop a plan that strengthens access to outdoor recreation and supports the community's connection to its natural environment."

Rogers is working with Partridge Creek Compost in Ishpeming. The focus of her project is designing a comprehensive framework to expand and support the local food system. Through this work, she is engaging with a variety of stakeholders throughout the local food supply and processing chain.

"I have had the privilege of interviewing and holding conversations with several small-scale sustainable farmers in the Upper Peninsula," Rogers said. "These conversations have provided me with valuable insight into how I will move forward with my research. This semester I will continue to look into the economic viability and importance of small-scale agriculture as it exists in the Upper Peninsula and beyond."

Learn more about the Rural Leadership Fellowship Program here. Media contact: David Nyberg, executive director of Business Engagement and Economic Development at NMU, at [email protected] or 906-227-2647.