Building Understanding Between Urban & Rural Alaska

The Alaska Humanities Forum has received a grant supported by Senator Ted Stevens and appropriated through the U.S. Department of Education to develop and implement the Rose Urban Rural Exchange.

* For more Information on these grants, please download these press releases: Press Release 1 & Press Release 2.
PURPOSE AND GOALS

The Rose Urban Rural Exchange is a unique
cross-cultural exchange program whose mission
is to build understanding between urban and
rural Alaskans. The program, now entering its
eighth year, aims to strengthen relationships between urban and rural Alaskans by building mutual respect, understanding and a statewide sense of community through cross-cultural exchanges of teachers and sister schools.

Through the exchanges, participants experience family life, school, community and cultural activities in the villages and urban centers.
Cross-cultural orientation sessions before and after travel prepare and enhance participant understanding of their host community's way of life. Roundtrip airfare is provided.

 

Listen to students speak of their RURE exchange experiences online!

Culture Shock An Audio Documentary on the Rose Urban Rural Exchange by the Alaska Teen Media Institute.  To listen choose media below.

Window Media Player        or           mp3

 
Alaska Humanities Forum welcomes  Laurie Evans-Dinneen as new Director for the Rose Urban Rural Exchange Program!

Laurie Evans-Dinneen New RURE Director!

The Alaska Humanities Forum announces its hire of Laurie Evans-Dinneen as Director of the Rose Urban Rural Exchange program.  She brings with her extensive experience in federal grant management and working among Alaska's unique and diverse populations.  Her career includes work with Alaska Native organizations as well as universities, managing programs and departments.  She has two bachelor’s degrees in Journalism and English Literature, and she has earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in poetry from the University of Oregon.  Evans-Dinneen has resided in Alaska for over fifteen years and recently transitioned with her family from living in Sitka back to Anchorage.

Introducing the Rose Urban Rural Exchange team for the 2007/2008 school year!

Pictured from left to right are: Donna Elliott - Sister School Coordinator, Laurie Evans-Dinneen - Executive Director, Kate Sangster - Sister School Coordinator.  Not pictured: Caitlin Brown, RURE Assistant and Clare Bryant, Volunteer. Photograph by Gene Storm.

 
   
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