PSU forms Center for Rural Partnerships

The Center for Rural Partnerships, an organization aimed at connecting the needs and goals of rural communities with academic research and resources, has been established at Plymouth State University.

PSU President Donald Wharton said the center will work on a variety of groups on a number of issues, including sustainable community economic development and promoting New Hampshire’s rural quality of life.

Wharton said the center came about after the university “identified the need for an organization that focuses on rural New Hampshire. Whether providing research on the economic and social impact of uneven development or partnering with a local community group to learn about the way rural residents receive health care, the Center for Rural Partnerships is poised to play a unique and integral role in our rural community.”

The center will be headed by Thaddeus C. Guldbrandsen, a research assistant professor of anthropology at PSU and former University of New Hampshire faculty member.

Guldbrandsen will work with community leaders, including elected officials, community groups, schools, developers and others to preserve and enhance New Hampshire’s rural quality of life. The needs of the community will generate the goals of the center, helping drive the research and service agenda. – JEFF FEINGOLD