Rural Perspective

Sep 2, 2021

Faith and Community: Rural Aging

In the second episode of “Faith and Community,” Rev. Karen Richardson-Dunn of the NC Council of Churches “Partners in Health & Wholeness” initiative discusses aging as a natural process as we move through life. 

Jan 5, 2021

First in Future: Dan Barkin of Business NC

This episode of First in Future we hear from Dan Barkin of Business NC. As the former managing editor of The News & Observer, he has great insight and institutional knowledge about the rapid development of North Carolina, and we hear about his thoughts on broadband, which is a key issue on many minds these days. 

Jun 19, 2020

Jumpstarting Local Government

Summary: Leslie Boney, Director of the Institute for Emerging Issues, hosts a series of virtual conversations discussing the impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19) and some of the ways our state is… 

Feb 25, 2020

First in Future: State Board of Education Chair Eric Davis

Summary: This year, the Raleigh-based nonprofit Public School Forum has identified its top education issues to address, to take “immediate and intentional actions to provide each child a sound basic education.” This is a response to a lingering… 

Feb 18, 2020

First in Future: President of the state association of County Commissioners Kevin Austin

Summary: At our ReCONNECT to Technological Opportunity Forum, we heard story after story of people who have access to broadband and how they’re doing amazing things with it. We also heard stories of people struggling to take full advantage… 

Feb 11, 2020

First in Future: Director of community engagement at Forward Wilkes LB Prevette

Summary: We all know people in our hometowns or neighborhoods who have a way of bringing people and ideas together in a community, big or small. Some may call them… 

Feb 4, 2020

First in Future: Policy and Program Manager at the Institute for Emerging Issues Maggie Woods

Summary: If you are in a business trying to expand markets, on a farm trying to boost yields, helping your kids with homework or a local government official trying to… 

Jan 3, 2020

First in Future Remembers Robert Bashford

Summary: North Carolina has lost a great citizen. Dr. Robert Bashford was an NC State graduate, OB/GYN, and Director of Admissions at UNC Medical School. His great passion was finding ways… 

Nov 12, 2019

First in Future: Mayor of Troy, North Carolina Sherri Allgood

Summary: Being a mayor is hard. How do you deal with a bypass that diverts traffic around your city? Will improvements to a struggling part of town affect property values… 

May 7, 2019

First in Future: Rural Faith Communities Program Manager at IEI Kylie Foley

Summary: The years since 2000 have been particularly challenging for Christian churches in the US, the Presbyterian church has lost more than 1 million members, the Episcopal Church is down…