Cecellia Musgrove

Author: Cecellia Musgrove | Major: Bachelor of Architecture

Rural communities face special issues related to loss of cultural identity, limited transportation options, limited economic opportunities, and opposition to growth. Revitalization efforts are often discouraged by community members, while community involvement in public decisions is minimal. The effects of minimal public inclusion can have damaging effects on a community. Public engagement tactics can replace traditional charettes, such as town hall meetings while building trust and better serving the direct concerns of a community. Raised in a rural Arkansas town, I understand the difficulties which rural communities face. I am passionate about urban design and planning. I knew that I could benefit rural towns such as my hometown of Dover, AR through my research. Dr. Billig had also been raised in a rural town and understood the issues of rural communities. His knowledge about landscape architecture and public engagement provided me with information which my education in architecture could not.

This capstone explores alternative methods of community engagement within the rural setting, through the case study of Dover, Arkansas. The use of two survey activities, an interactive in-person survey activity and a digital survey available on social media, provided flexible delivery methods that increased public participation. There were many challenges during this research. Public gathering spaces are limited in rural towns, while encouraging initial participation was made difficult through the communication methods and travel distances experienced in rural communities. The methods evaluated in this capstone can be easily replicated for future research. Participant satisfaction was high for both survey methods. Although, a greater preference for the interactive in-person activity supports the effectiveness of community engagement tactics in a rural town.

Conversation among participants was successfully generated through the interactive in-person research activity. In addition, enthusiasm for initiating change in Dover clearly increased among participants as they completed the interactive in-person activity. The data collected directly from the survey activities provides useful information for the City of Dover. I believe the City of Dover can use this capstone as a toolkit for future community engagement. Many community members who participated in these activities were observed to have a newly found hope for the future of their town. It is my hope that the City of Dover will use this as an opportunity to prosper the community.

This capstone has provided me with a deeper understanding of public engagement methods, which I have not observed in the traditional design studio setting. In my experience of growing up in a rural town, I learned the challenges of initiating change. Rural communities are not popularly sought after in revitalization efforts, though they are a necessary piece of the American culture and economy. I know this process has equipped me to bridge the gap between public design processes and public participation. I hope the capstone will inform other design professionals about this gap and how to overcome it through community engagement methods.

In the near future, I will be working in healthcare design at an architecture firm in the Kansas City area. I plan earn my licensure in architecture and to switch into cultural architecture and participatory design within the next few years.  I hope to continue my passion for bringing communities together as I progress in my career.