Twenty-five Indiana University Bloomington faculty members have been selected to take part in the 2026 Rural Indiana Faculty Tour on August 11–13.
Hosted by the IU Center for Rural Engagement with support from the IU Office of the Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor, the tour is designed to build connections between faculty and rural communities while creating pathways for collaborative partnerships, community-engaged scholarship, and innovative teaching and service opportunities.
The chartered bus tour will cover more than 250 miles across Brown, Daviess, Dubois and Orange counties. Along the way, faculty will meet with local leaders, visit community organizations, and learn about initiatives addressing issues ranging from housing and health to economic development and quality of life.
“Stepping off campus to learn directly from local leaders and residents is the best way to foster impactful, community-engaged scholarship,” said Interim Provost John Ciorciari. “The insights gained during these three days will deepen our understanding of regional priorities, allowing our faculty to more effectively partner with and support Hoosiers across the state.”
The 2026 cohort represents a broad range of academic disciplines and areas of expertise from across IU Bloomington. In their applications, participants expressed interest in learning more about the communities, industries, and organizations that shape life in rural Indiana. Many also hope to gain a better understanding of the experiences of Hoosiers across the state while exploring new ways to connect their teaching, research, and service with community priorities.
“The Rural Indiana Faculty Tour provides a meaningful opportunity for IU Bloomington faculty to learn from rural residents and develop connections to inform their research, community-engaged teaching and service,” said Kyla Cox Deckard, executive director of the Center for Rural Engagement. “They will join a multidisciplinary network of faculty and community partners focused on strengthening rural Indiana’s vitality.”
On Aug. 11, the tour makes its first stop in Paoli, where faculty will connect with local partners on housing initiatives, redevelopment projects, community health and food-systems work. The day concludes in French Lick at the French Lick Resort with a program featuring community and industry speakers, along with networking and discussion opportunities.
On Aug. 12, participants will tour Fischer Farms in St. Anthony and enjoy a lunch hosted by the Fischer family. They’ll continue to Dubois County for presentations from community organizations, a tour of Ferdinand’s Monastery Immaculate Conception, and opportunities to explore local spaces. The day concludes in Jasper with dinner and conversations with area leaders at the Thyen-Clark Cultural Center.
On Aug. 13, participants will visit Odon’s historic Abraham Lincoln statue, sculpted by Ira A. Correll, before traveling through southern Indiana with discussions highlighting the region’s forests, industries and heritage sites. The tour concludes in Nashville with lunch and community presentations from leaders in Brown County—the 2026–27 Sustaining Hoosier Communities partner community—focused on health, quality of life and local collaboration.
The selected faculty members are:
- Mariella I. Arredondo, Associate Research Scientist, Community Center on Education and Lifelong Learning at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community
- Brandon Barker, Assistant Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies, College of Arts and Sciences Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology
- Melody Barnett Deusner, Associate Professor, College of Arts and Sciences Department of Art History
- Purnima Bose, Professor and Chair, College of Arts and Sciences Department of English; Academic Director, IU India Gateway
- Guangqing Chi, Provost Professor, College of Arts and Sciences Department of Geography
- Ivaldo da Silva, Associate Professor, School of Public Health-Bloomington Department of Applied Health Science
- Leiha Edmonds, Assistant Professor, College of Arts and Sciences Department of Geography
- Bonnie Ernst, Assistant Professor, College of Arts and Sciences Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Yuerong Hu, Assistant Professor, Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering Department of Information and Library Science
- Brandon Howell, Clinical Associate Professor, School of Public Health-Bloomington Department of Health & Wellness Design
- Megan Janke, Associate Professor, School of Public Health-Bloomington Department of Health & Wellness Design
- Olga Kalentzidou, Senior Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Studies, College of Arts and Sciences Department of Geography
- Cici Ling, Assistant Professor, Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering Department of Informatics
- Rebecca Lassell, Assistant Professor, School of Public Health-Bloomington Department of Health & Wellness Design
- Benjamin Motz, Assistant Professor, College of Arts and Sciences Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
- Rebecca Mueller, Research Associate and Public Health Specialist, School of Public Health-Bloomington Prevention Insights
- Drew Pickett, Assistant Professor, School of Public Health-Bloomington Department of Health & Wellness Design
- Philip Powell, Clinical Professor, Kelley School of Business Department of Business Economics and Public Policy; Executive Director, Indiana Business Research Center
- Shelby Rader, Assistant Professor, College of Arts and Sciences Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
- Michael Ross, Assistant Clinical Professor and Director of the Bachelor of Social Work Program, School of Social Work
- Katie Silvester, Associate Professor, College of Arts and Sciences Department of English
- James Henry Smith, Discovery and User Experience Librarian, IU Libraries Department of Discovery and User Experience
- Susanne Schwibs, Senior Lecturer, The Media School
- Esi Thompson Tani-Eshon, Associate Professor, The Media School
- Xavier Warnes, Assistant Professor, Kelley School of Business Department of Operations and Decision Technologies