Trauma, Hope, and Politics: A Conversation about Rural Education On Wednesday, October 29, 2025, the Virginia Tech Center for Rural Education’s Front Porch Series featured Beth Macy, journalist and bestselling author, and Cat Biddle, associate professor of educational leadership at the University of Maine, who joined Amy Azano, director of the Center for Rural Education, for a discussion on rural schooling, trauma, the role of politics and news, our rural pasts, and dreams for our rural futures. A recording of the panel discussion is available below and can also be found on Youtube.
