STARS@MIT: Small-Town and Rural MIT Alumni Panel
Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at 7:00 PM until 8:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time UTC -04:00

Join MIT alumni who grew up in small towns and rural communities as they share their journeys to and through MIT, and beyond. In this conversation, you’ll hear how MIT Alumni navigated the transition from rural high schools to the academic intensity and opportunity of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and where they are now! 

Registration link:

https://apply.mitadmissions.org/register/?id=73df9427-5be3-4893-ac02-f906522ff6de 

STARS@MIT: Transition to college as a small-town or rural student
Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 7:00 PM until 8:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time UTC -04:00

Leaving a small town for college can feel exciting and overwhelming. How do you move to a completely new place, adjust to a bigger environment, and build community from scratch?

Join us for a conversation focused on the real-life transition from a rural or small-town community to a campus like Massachusetts Institute of Technology. We’ll talk about what it’s like to relocate, navigate homesickness, adapt to a faster pace, and find your people in a new environment.

Topics will include:

·                       Making friends and building support systems early

·                       Staying connected to home while growing into independence

·                       Adjusting to academic and social culture shifts

·                       Finding rural and first-generation community on campus

·                       Embracing your background as a strength

You’ll also hear directly from current STARS (Small-Town and Rural Student) Ambassadors about how they made the transition and created a sense of belonging at MIT.

There will be plenty of time for Q&A, so bring your questions about moving, community-building, or what surprised them most about life in a new place.

If you’re preparing to leave a close-knit community and wondering what comes next, this session is designed with you in mind.

Registration Link: https://apply.mitadmissions.org/register/?id=7e943b73-320d-49b5-bd59-31ea0519282a 

Title: DHEDF La Mesa Rural STEAM Discussion Group

Date: 7 May 2026

Time: 4p.m-5p.m. CT

Topic: “Launching an Aviation/UAS/Drone Program in a Rural School District-The Karnes City ISD Experience”

Moderator: 

Wayne I. Fagan
Chair, Dee Howard International Education Foundation(DHEDF)
https://www.dhedf.org/ 
https://www.dhedf.org/dee-howard/letter-from-the-chair  

Special Guest:

David E. Purser
DHEDF Director of Education
Secondary Science and Aviation Teacher(2012-August 2025) at Karnes City ISD
https://www.kcisd.net/  
https://www.dhedf.org/dee-howard/team    
 

David graduated from Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas in 1982 with a B.S and M.S. in Animal Science/Science, Chemistry, and Muscle Biology.

After graduation David worked in the food industry until 2005 and from 2005 to 2024 David began his teaching career in rural high schools in Texas teaching Physics, Chemistry and a variety of other science courses, in 2017 David added Aviation courses to his teaching resume. 

Zoom details

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81708873744?pwd=P29OSaBMT150LdvoBktfhLzHoWakIW.1  

Meeting ID: 817 0887 3744

Passcode: 749657

To learn more about the La Mesa Rural STEAM Podcast we invite you to visit: 
https://www.dhedf.org/rural-stem-initiative/rural-stem-podcast  

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026 
July 20 - 26, 2026
https://www.eaa.org/airventure

National Rural STEM Summit
3-4 Sept,2026
Midwestern University
Glendale, AZ
https://azruralstemsummit.net/ 

Arizona Rural STEM Summit - Empowering Communities

STEM learning in rural communities shares many characteristics across vast geographies, yet it is also distinctly unique to each place. The National Rural STEM Learning Summit brings together STEM educators, administrators, STEM industry professionals, and community leaders to strengthen and elevate the quality of STEM education in rural communities through practice and dialogue. 

2026 National Forum to Advance Rural Education
October 19–21, 2026 | San Antonio, Texas
https://nrea.net/  

Note: Stay tuned for further updates as they become available.