An Overview of Our Project:

After a long semester of hard work, our group of 8 interdisciplinary collegiate students presented our final research at the Appalachian Regional Commission’s Community Research Symposium. Our findings summarized 3 months of site visits, interviews, academic papers and relevant online resources.

As the second cohort of our 10 year project, we expanded on last years’ work and added Uniontown to our scope of research. Historically, coal was Uniontown’s dominant industry, and at one point the town had the highest per-capita of millionaires in the entire country. On our visits we identified a plethora of community assets, including the beautifully preserved State Theater, the Sheepskin trail that runs through the area, local businesses such as Goodie Girls Bakery and historical areas across the town. As the project progresses through future years, visits to additional towns will allow for the identification of county wide assets.

Meeting people from the area was an amazing experience, and it was clear how much love locals had for their communities. It was clear that many people in the area knew that updates were needed and highlighted improvements they believed were most critical, but still maintained positive attitudes and spoke to us in a way that was self-critical but hopeful. They were engaging, helpful with our research, and proud of their regional identity.

Our Deliverables:

Following our field work, we came up with a few initial ideas on how to spur economic development in Fayette county and beyond. We wanted to keep local values and the history of the area in mind as to not disturb the positive aspects of the community. The tourism industry and outdoor recreation around the river and gap trail were major economic drivers. however marketing and advertisement of the assets and opportunities in the area needed to be bolstered. We also considered bringing in industry that would adhere to local pride in physical labor, but zoning laws make this very difficult.

We ended up creating 3 main deliverables:

1. the Celebrate Uniontown Proposal
2. a resource sheet for grants
3. an asset map in a few different styles.

The Celebrate Uniontown Proposal outlines suggestions and the process to improve the online marketing of the area, including local websites and social media presence for both the government and local businesses.

The plan also lays out the potential for implementing an internship with high school students in the area for their required civil learning. This would give the students an opportunity to complete their civil learning with the local government, engaging with their community and assisting in daily happenings in the civil space, which would be beneficial for college and their future careers. The government would get additional support (for free), would engage the youth, and would benefit from their generational knowledge in areas like graphic design and social media marketing. The second deliverable was a list of grants on a few different levels – local, state and national. The list will hopefully be informative for local leaders and business people on where there may be funding available for them.

The final deliverable was the asset maps we created. This part of the project was a continuation of last years work. The purpose of an asset map is to identify the resources and capabilities that exist within a community or organization, and to use this information to identify opportunities for growth and development. Our asset map was created using ArcGIS Pro, then translated onto google maps, as this is a familiar format to most people and improves the accessibility of the resource. We also created a StoryMap to the map collection, which allows for an added level of interaction and the ability to add narrative to the map as well.

Reflecting on what we Learned:

If I could implement any of the suggestions immediately, it would be the improvement of the social media marketing of the area. There are a few major benefits of social media marketing for historical small towns:

1. Increased visibility: By using social media to promote events, activities, and attractions in the town, you can increase the town’s visibility and reach a wider audience. This can help attract more visitors and tourists to the town, which can have a positive economic impact.
2. Improved communication: Social media can be a useful tool for communicating with residents and visitors, as well as for sharing important information and updates. For example, you can use social media to announce events, share news and updates, and provide information about local resources and services.
3. Greater community engagement: Social media can be a great way to foster a sense of community and to get people more involved in local activities and events. By using social media to encourage discussion and engagement, you can help build a stronger sense of community and foster a sense of belonging among residents.

This was a unique course as it was focused on research and consulting with a stakeholder which was a valuable and enriching experience for a number of reasons. First, it provided us with the opportunity to apply our own interdisciplinary knowledge and skills to real-world problems, allowing us to see the practical relevance and impact of what we have spent the last few years of college studying. This was especially rewarding for us since we were passionate about making a difference in our community and chosen fields. Additionally, a course like this allowed us to develop important skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration, which are highly sought after by employers. By working on a project with a stakeholder, we had the chance to build professional relationships and gain practical experience working in a consulting role.

Overall, participating in the Appalachian Teaching Project was great way to gain valuable hands-on experience and develop a range of skills that will be valuable in my future.