Center For Small Towns at the University of Minnesota-Morris is set to host the

The schedule of events is below, for the Symposium on Small Towns taking place on Thursday, June 10th. I'll be attending the activities and blogging live from UMM.

• 8:00 a.m.—9:00 a.m.
  Breakfast, Registration and Networking
  Turtle Mountain Café & Oyate Hall, Student Center
• 9:00 a.m.—9:30 a.m.
  Joint Symposium Welcome
  Center for Small Towns, Director—Bart Finzel
  Minnesota Rural Partners, Director—Jane Leonard
  Poet, UMM English faculty—Athena Kildegaard
  City of Morris, Mayor—Sheldon Giese
  Science Auditorium
• 9:30 a.m.—10:30 a.m.
  A panel of “real people doing real stuff” emphasizing small communities with big success stories
  Moderator: Dave Engstrom, Minnesota Association of Small Cities
  Panelists: Muriel Krusemark – Hoffman Economic Development Association, Stephanie Ibarra - Madelia Mobile Home Co-op
  Science Auditorium
• 10:30 a.m.—11:00 a.m. Break
• 11:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m. Breakout Sessions
  Various Locations
• 12:00 p.m.—1:30 p.m. Lunch - Featured speaker: Colleen Landkamer, MN State Director USDA Rural Development
  UMM Food Service
• 1:30 p.m.—2:30 p.m. Showcase Fair
  Community Leadership Cities, Success Stories, Community Pride Communities, Rural-Urban Connection examples
  Oyate Hall, Student Center (Mall)
• 2:30 p.m.—2:45 p.m. Short Break
• 2:45 p.m.—3:45 p.m. POLICY PANEL—“How Public Policies are Improving Rural Small Town Viability”—Gubernatorial candidates
  Moderator: Kate Smith, Minnesota Public Radio
  Proscenium Theatre, Humanities Fine Arts
• 3:45 p.m.—4:15 p.m. Closing—review highlights and comment on upcoming activities
  Proscenium Theatre, Humanities Fine Arts
• 4:30 p.m.—6:00 p.m. Rural-Urban Partnering Council—POST SYMPOSIUM
  Student Center—Study Hall