Schedule and Guest Presenters The cohort will meet eight times in Collegeville, six times at the Saint John’s Abbey Guesthouse and twice at the Collegeville Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research. At each meeting, experts on critical issues facing rural communities will present to the Fellows. The schedule is as follows: Inaugural meeting October 16 (lunch) – 17 (lunch), 2017 at Saint John’s Abbey Guesthouse Guest presenters: Michael O’Connell, former pastor of St. Mary’s Basilica, Minneapolis Abbot John Klassen, Saint John’s Abbey The Changing Face of Minnesota and Its Implications for the Future January 8 (8:30am) – 9 (4pm), 2018 at Saint John’s Abbey Guesthouse Guest presenters: Ellen Wolter, Minnesota Compass (Wilder Center) Luke Greiner, State of Minnesota, Department of Employment and Economic Development Lori Sturdevant, Columnist, StarTribune Agriculture and Food Production April 23 (8:30am) – 24 (4pm), 2018 at Saint John’s Abbey Guesthouse Guest presenters: Joe Fitzgerald, organic crop farmer Amy Bacigalupo, Land Stewardship Project Travis Scherping, organic dairy farmer Terri Emmerich, specialty crop producer Steve Schlangen, dairy farmer The Rural Economy Beyond Farming July 9 (8:30am) – 10 (4pm), 2018 at the Collegeville Institute Guest presenters: Brigid Tuck, Senior Economic Impact Analyst, University of Minnesota Extension Regional Office Ben Winchester, Extension Educator, Evaluation & Rural Sociology, Extension Center for Community Vitality, University of Minnesota Betsy Roder, Executive Director, New York Mills Cultural Center Art de St. Aubin, President/CEO, Rotochopper, Inc. Jesse Job, Owner, Charlie’s Café Aaron Meester, Banker, Bremer Bank LuAnn Popp, Realtor, Coldwell Banker Burnet Immigration as an Opportunity and a Challenge October 15 (8:30 am) – 16 (4pm), 2018 at Saint John’s Abbey Guesthouse Guest presenters: Allison Liuzzi, Minnesota Compass Project Director, Wilder Research Joan Ellison, Pelican Rapids Multicultural Committee Blanca Garcia, Saint Boniface Church, Cold Spring, MN Maria Dominquez, Saint Boniface Church, Cold Spring, MN Maria Elena Gutierrez, Saint Joseph Church, Waite Park, MN Health Care in Rural Minnesota January 7 (8:30am) – 8 (4pm), 2019 at Saint John’s Abbey Guesthouse Guest presenters: Santo Cruz, CentraCare Health, St. Cloud, MN Joel Erickson, Save our Healthcare, Albert Lea, MN Patrick Heller, MD, CentraCare Health Clinic, Melrose, MN Bernice Robinson, Lac qui Parle Health Network, Madison, MN Kap Wilkes, National Rural Health Resource Center, Duluth, MN Rural Poverty – Both Real and Hidden April 8 (8:30am) – 9 (4pm), 2019 at Saint John’s Abbey Guesthouse Guest presenters: Jan Arneson, Pope County Families in Need, Glenwood, MN Renee Frauendienst, Stearns County Social Services, St. Cloud, MN Capstone Meeting July 8 (lunch) – 10 (lunch), 2019 at the Collegeville Institute Guest presenters: Mike Mather, Pastor, Broadway United Methodist Church, Indianapolis, IN Brad Roth, Pastor, West Zion Mennonite Church, Moundridge, KS Ben Schierer, Mayor, Fergus Falls, MN