Mayor Jesse Turner announces that the City of Loretto, Tennessee has been selected as the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s partner site for their 2020 Political Science 410/554 Sustainable Communities course.

Loretto, Tennessee Mayor Jesse Turner released the following statement regarding the exciting news:

"I am excited that the City of Loretto, Tennessee has been selected as the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s partner site for their 2020 Political Science 410/554 Sustainable Communities course. This connection was made through the Appalachian Regional Commission’s Leadership institute of which I am a Fellow and Dr. Tim Ezzell with UT who is providing a portion of the curriculum for the Leadership Institute. 

I met with the class today via Zoom providing them with background information of Loretto and answer ring questions. The class has decided from our discussion to explore three areas for their potential project(s): wastewater, transportation, and youth engagement. Both COVID and infrastructure will be used as a core theme for all of these areas. 

More about the course:
This course aims to provide students with both classroom instruction and real-world experience in the design and implementation of asset-based sustainable development strategies in existing communities. The course is largely project-based and students work together to help resolve a real-world community sustainability issue. The project has usually been based in an East Tennessee community or centered on an important regional issue.  However, this year Loretto in Middle Tennessee has been selected. 

This course is part of a larger regional effort, the Appalachian Teaching Project (ATP). The ATP is sponsored by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) - a Federal Agency dedicated to the development of the Appalachian region. UT is one of a dozen Appalachian colleges and universities participating in the ATP. Normally this class ends with a visit to Washington D.C. There, students would present their findings along side other ATP teams and the ARC staff at a research conference. Unfortunately, due to COVID concerns and restrictions, the conference will be virtual."

Photo Credit: Jesse E. Turner, University of Tennessee, Knoxville.