Event Brings Higher Education to Arcadia Valley

Higher education can help the Arcadia Valley according to Dr. Melissa Miles McCarter. Dr. McCarter is the organizer of an upcoming informal humanities and technology to be held at the Arcadia Academy in Arcadia, MO on September 28, 3013.

Dr. McCarter said. "Right now the closest university is an hour and a half away, and the closest community college is 30 minutes away from our small, rural Southeast Missouri community. With the cost of gas, this puts college out of reach for many residents."

Dr. McCarter believes the Southeast Missouri THATCamp is a first step for increasing higher education opportunities in the Arcadia Valley. With the help of grants from the Missouri Humanities Council, Microsoft and the River Valley Region Association, Dr. McCarter has been the moving force in bringing the conference to the area.

50 participants will receive $50 and free meals to attend. "Right now we have participants registered from Stanford, Columbia College, UMSL, SLU, Mizzou, SIUE, SEMO and Southwestern Illinois College. We also have a number of local K-12 educators and members of the community attending," Dr. McCarter said.

Started by scholars at George Mason University and a grant from the Mellon Foundation, THATCamps are held all over the world. This will be the first one not associated with an educational institution and in a rural community.

"We are encouraging people to attend who want to discuss ways the humanities and technology can help rural America," Dr. McCarter said.

Dr. McCarter believes Southeast Missouri THATCamp might open the door for higher education to come to the Arcadia Valley. "I believe this a perfect place for a university. And I think it really needs one in order to grow and thrive economically."

The whole Arcadia Valley is economically distressed, which is true of many small rural towns across the United States. This area is particularly distressed because of a devastating dam breach caused by Ameren.

"Without any industry or large employer left in our area before this breach (our largest employer is the school district), our area relied on tourism for economic fuel," Dr. McCarter explained. "This fuel was depleted when the breach ruined the banks and businesses along the Black River and our most valued and visited natural resource, Johnson Shutins.

According to Dr. McCarter, bringing Southeast Missouri THATCamp to Arcadia, MO is the first step for establishing more higher education resources and programs in the struggling Arcadia Valley. "We plan to hold another THATCamp in the Arcadia Valley in 2014."

Registration is currently open for this year's event to anyone who is interested in learning about the humanities and technology. Information can be found at semo2013.thatcamp.org.

Other support for Southeast Missouri THATCamp was generously provided by The Mellon Foundation, Center for History and New Media at George Mason University, The Mountain Echo, Iron County Treasurer Denise Bates, Fort Davidson Motel, Jim Scaggs of Scaggs Rock and Lime, Dragonfly Inn and Fat Daddy's Farm Press.