Early this December (2025), my team and I found ourselves in the heart of DC, awaiting to present our findings and recommendations for Fayette County to the funders, external stakeholders, and other participants of the Appalachian Collegiate Research Initiative (ACRI). The Annual ACRI Conference, hosted by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and East Tennessee State…
Tag: experiential
Grappling with Anxiety, Fear, and Pride: ACRI, Connellsville Presentation
The Appalachian Collegiate Research Initiative presentation in Connellsville this past November (2025) served as a vessel for many firsts for me, and presumably for some of my colleagues. Until now, I’ve never had the opportunity or privilege to stand before a room full of relevant stakeholders and present to them findings and recommendations pertaining to…
What’s in Store for Social Capital?: ACRI, 1st Visit
Our first opportunity to hit the ground in Fayette County was nothing short of informative and a little eye-opening, to say the least. My peers and I were received with incredible hospitality at the Touchstone Center for Crafts, nestled inside Farmington’s woods. The location itself is a nifty, unique residency and center for the arts,…
Adventures in Fayette County
On October 3rd through October 5th, I embarked on an adventure with The University of Pittsburgh’s Appalachian Collegiate Research Initiative (ACRI) cohort to Fayette County, Pennsylvania. This trip is part of the ongoing 10-year commitment and collaboration between the University of Pittsburgh and the Fayette County Cultural Trust. I was particularly excited about this trip,…
Our Commitment to the Community: Fayette County Presentation
Friday December 6th, 2025, The University of Pittsburgh’s Appalachian Collegiate Research Initiative (ACRI) cohort comprised of (Urban Studies, Sustainability, Political Science and Business) returned to Fayette County to present our final deliverables to the community. In our continued partnership with the Fayette Country Cultural Trust, these findings we presented to the community members as well…
The True Value of Study Abroad: Experiential Learning – Trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau
While the following content should be seen as somber and upsetting, it is also valuable that everyone takes the time to educate themselves on the horrors of the past so that history may not repeat some of its darkest days. One of the reasons I chose to go on this specific program was the day-trip…
Fayette County Site Visit In Review (Oct 12-14)
During the weekend of October 12th, our research group went on a two-night trip to visit local areas in Fayette County– specifically Connellsville, Uniontown, and Brownsville. During this trip, we toured the towns and spoke to small business owners, politicians, school faculty members, members of the Fayette County Cultural Trust, and more. Through our conversations,…
About me!
Hello, I’m Grace! I am a senior History and Political Science double-major receiving certificates in American Sign Language and Public and Professional Writing. I also love making music, and am a member of the University of Pittsburgh Varsity Marching Band and the Heinz Chapel Choir. This semester I enrolled in the class associated with the…
ATP Reflection: Final Blog
Now that the semester and the first Pitt Appalachian Teaching Project class has ended, the time has come to reflect on some of the hard work produced by our team. To begin, our team created a handful of valuable deliverables to pass on the Fayette County community such as an asset map, recorded interviews, and…