Catch Up With Chuck | Episode 25

Rural Futures Institute Author

05/03/2018 Added

10 Plays

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Attracting the Rural Creative Class with Stacy Spale

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[00:00:02.342]Welcome to the Rural Futures Institute
[00:00:04.458]at the University of Nebraska. I'm Chuck Schroeder.
[00:00:06.974]I'm executive director of the institute,
[00:00:08.667]and this is our weekly look at interesting people who
[00:00:12.053]are having an impact on rural.
[00:00:14.828]With me today are two pretty darn interesting folks.
[00:00:18.304]Stacy Spale, is an instructor at UNL's
[00:00:21.059]College of Architecture in the interior design area.
[00:00:24.409]And joining us is Kenzie Klein, a student,
[00:00:27.784]at the College of Architecture, from Cozad.
[00:00:30.825]So Stacy and Kenzie welcome.
[00:00:33.731]Thank you (laughing) Thanks!
[00:00:34.864]Glad to have ya here. Okay!
[00:00:36.550]Stacy you gave your students a very interesting challenge,
[00:00:41.009]that led to an interaction with the Rural Futures Institute.
[00:00:45.345]And, we've been having a lot of fun
[00:00:46.724]over the last few months.
[00:00:48.154]So, we were pretty intrigued when you asked us
[00:00:51.448]to make a presentation to your students,
[00:00:53.760]in preparation for this project that is
[00:00:56.827]designed to, if I can read it,
[00:00:59.316]investigate the creative class.
[00:01:02.296]And discover what relationships and opportunities exist
[00:01:05.869]with this demographic in rural areas,
[00:01:09.095]particularly in Nebraska.
[00:01:11.121]I thought that was cool. (laughing)
[00:01:12.571]So tell us what sparked the idea and
[00:01:15.793]what you hope to get out of it?
[00:01:17.595]Absolutely, so our teaching approach
[00:01:19.435]really used to be typology based.
[00:01:21.087]In traditional interior design education you do a
[00:01:23.751]residential project, then you do a hospitality project,
[00:01:26.464]and a retail project and,
[00:01:28.197]that's really a great way to learn some of the fundamentals.
[00:01:31.725]But as we prepare our students to become,
[00:01:34.034]21st century leaders who can solve really complex
[00:01:37.796]problems between people and space,
[00:01:40.464]we decided to take kind of a different approach
[00:01:42.854]with the advanced studios, so.
[00:01:44.577]We really decided to take more of an issue based approach.
[00:01:48.187]And we've done projects like this in the past,
[00:01:50.288]where we look at topics like, food in the city
[00:01:53.396]and look at what relationships exist there.
[00:01:55.575]What opportunities are there?
[00:01:56.908]How can we as interior designers,
[00:01:58.599]solve really complex problems?
[00:02:01.033]So, really its just the strategy is allowing students
[00:02:04.817]to think really critically about something,
[00:02:07.944]and come up with their own unique,
[00:02:12.040]real and modern ways of solving problems
[00:02:14.889]through using space, so.
[00:02:16.614]This year we decided to do rural Nebraska
[00:02:19.599]and the creative class.
[00:02:21.137]And looking at all the opportunities, that exist.
[00:02:24.164]And rural Nebraska has a ton of under utilized space.
[00:02:27.642]Sure. So allowing our students to
[00:02:29.130]really looking at this problem and
[00:02:31.128]seeing how can impact communities, so.
[00:02:34.549]We were hoping that this would allow them to use design
[00:02:37.332]research, which is where we wanted to partner with you.
[00:02:39.993]I didn't want them relying based on stereotypes,
[00:02:42.541]or what they think they know about rural Nebraska.
[00:02:45.194]Sure.
[00:02:46.126]So we wanted them to create an informed point of view
[00:02:49.449]with their research groups and use that,
[00:02:51.236]to engage them in an individual, kind of proactive role.
[00:02:55.378]And we have 26 students who came up with
[00:02:57.093]26 really unique solutions, to this problem.
[00:03:01.686]Well, it was, for us it was fascinating because
[00:03:04.435]we believe that solving problems in rural areas
[00:03:08.210]and building thriving rural communities,
[00:03:10.133]means crossing a lot of disciplines and a lot of
[00:03:13.133]interest areas, bringing resources together,
[00:03:16.603]to solve these complex problems.
[00:03:19.166]And it was really fun to engage with you
[00:03:21.541]and your students on this.
[00:03:23.750]So, Kenzie, you were on the receiving end of
[00:03:27.617]That I was. (laughing) this challenge.
[00:03:29.113]And uh, and you took it up in earnest.
[00:03:31.494]You're a Cozad, Nebraska girl.
[00:03:33.316]I want you to tell our audience a
[00:03:35.723]little bit number one, about you
[00:03:38.109]where you came from and kind of your family,
[00:03:41.513]that led you in this direction and then,
[00:03:44.079]and what you're preparing for career wise.
[00:03:46.925]Okay, so again like Chuck said I'm from Cozad.
[00:03:50.298]My dad is a construction contractor kinda guy.
[00:03:53.855]And then my mom's a high school special education teacher.
[00:03:58.841]And she's always been very crafty so,
[00:04:00.946]kind of their interests together kind of shaped
[00:04:03.267]me into this interior design realm.
[00:04:05.197]Um, for my project I based it out of Cozad.
[00:04:08.651]And then I did a youth development space,
[00:04:11.239]kind of mixed with a community element, so.
[00:04:13.681]Just a really good space for the community to come in,
[00:04:16.235]and for youth to really develop those skills
[00:04:18.160]that their not always exposed to.
[00:04:20.641]Something that I was never exposed to at least,
[00:04:22.508](laughing) - Sure, Sure. in my time in Cozad.
[00:04:25.656]Well and the building you chose
[00:04:27.887]Yeah if I can add this.
[00:04:28.992]Kenzie's told me a really great story that,
[00:04:30.540]when she was growing up she used to practice
[00:04:32.280]hitting softballs indoors, (laughing) in the building.
[00:04:35.765]We had softball practice upstairs in the building that I,
[00:04:37.759]utilized for my space. It was awfully and nasty.
[00:04:41.790]Ew, it was gross. (laughing)
[00:04:42.920]There was carpet everywhere, it was bad.
[00:04:44.998]It was terrible. It's a great example of,
[00:04:46.361]under utilized space. (laughing)
[00:04:47.194]Under utilized space, for sure.
[00:04:49.536]But you come from this community where,
[00:04:52.291]the creative arts are
[00:04:53.706]It's huge. very much apart of its history
[00:04:55.755]And that just intrigued me as I saw your project unfold.
[00:05:00.956]And that was something that I really
[00:05:02.377]wanted to incorporate in my project too.
[00:05:03.911]Was just kind of providing a space for,
[00:05:05.532]that art to get displayed and utilized.
[00:05:07.683]Or potentially bringing in different art exhibits
[00:05:09.929]to really develop that, art love, I guess.
[00:05:13.366]Sure, Sure.
[00:05:14.682]That's in small town Nebraska,
[00:05:16.101]er, that's not really in central Nebraska in general
[00:05:18.287]I guess, so. Yeah. (laughing)
[00:05:20.913]Well I just, I love the spirit of that. Okay, so.
[00:05:23.871]Stacy, I think it's important for our audience
[00:05:26.352]to understand that you have not just been a
[00:05:29.156]denison of the ivory tower (laughing)
[00:05:31.753]through the course of your career.
[00:05:34.756]You spent four years at Clark Enersen Partners,
[00:05:37.599]a big design firm that's worked on big corporate projects.
[00:05:41.686]You've worked in a smaller firm actually with
[00:05:45.165]a lot of focus on rural health care facilities.
[00:05:49.443]Tell us a little bit about your life and career.
[00:05:52.685]And what led you to now this really important teaching role
[00:05:57.259]where you're taking really a rather unique approach.
[00:06:00.739]Absolutely, so first off I'm a Nebraskian native.
[00:06:03.521]I grew up here, I'm from here. Went to UNL.
[00:06:06.785]And I actually now teach in the program
[00:06:08.843]that I graduated from.
[00:06:10.178]Which, if you would have told me that when I graduated
[00:06:13.080]I would've not believed you. (laughing)
[00:06:15.909]But I was really lucky to have fantastic mentors along
[00:06:17.906]the way who gave me a really hopeful vision for what
[00:06:20.468]the profession of what interior design is truly capable
[00:06:23.679]of and what we're capable of doing as designers.
[00:06:26.271]So, like you said my experience at the
[00:06:29.095]Clark Enersen Partners was fantastic.
[00:06:31.525]And taught me a lot about working
[00:06:33.457]in a multidisciplinary firm.
[00:06:35.421]You know, we had all of the different services in house
[00:06:39.596]and really I learned a lot about narrative in architecture
[00:06:42.786]and telling a story with space.
[00:06:46.090]Then my experience at Visions in Architecture was a very
[00:06:49.043]small very focused on rural health care approach and there,
[00:06:52.507]I really gained an appreciation for evidence based design.
[00:06:55.795]And through the curriculum now we're trying to really
[00:06:58.481]integrate a lot of design research, into it.
[00:07:00.929]So, you know, one of my favorite stories
[00:07:03.068]actually from that experience is,
[00:07:04.930]we had a client in rural Nebraska who had a problem
[00:07:08.151]with patient falls in their hospital.
[00:07:10.405]And through interior design changes only,
[00:07:12.569]we were able to reduce their patient falls by 80%.
[00:07:16.054]Wow!
[00:07:16.887]And you know that's just really,
[00:07:18.801]those kind of stories tell the, shows the power
[00:07:21.999]and the transformative power of interior design.
[00:07:24.094]And that's what I love sharing with the students.
[00:07:26.696]So when I was at that small firm,
[00:07:28.694]I actually kind of fell into teaching.
[00:07:30.384]I was substituting, one of my friends was teaching
[00:07:33.127]Intro to Design, was gonna have a baby.
[00:07:35.287]So, I was like yeah this sounds like fun!
[00:07:37.326]There's life (laughing) I can do it, yeah
[00:07:38.810]And I fell in love with it.
[00:07:41.190]I fell in love with helping the students
[00:07:43.421]craft their own story of what interior design really is.
[00:07:46.057]A lot of them and their families and their peers
[00:07:48.584]don't understand the profession.
[00:07:49.755]They think we're picking out pillows and you know,
[00:07:52.064]accessorizing is a very, very small portion of what we do.
[00:07:56.376]But it's so great, to help them tell their story.
[00:07:59.856]And to teach through the stories of my professional
[00:08:02.141]experience, you know.
[00:08:03.560]If I see people disengaged in a lecture I'll say,
[00:08:06.204]here's a time in the real world when this actually
[00:08:08.966]was applicable, you know.
[00:08:10.906]And, so that becomes really rewarding.
[00:08:14.757]And really I just love watching them grow.
[00:08:16.950]So seeing them come in from a freshman,
[00:08:19.007]to seeing the changes they make as sophomore and a junior
[00:08:22.081]and a senior as they graduate, its so great.
[00:08:25.573]It's just so rewarding to see their
[00:08:27.422]creative confidence grow and their ability to solve
[00:08:30.012]really complex problems and their ability to present.
[00:08:33.813]It's just the best.
[00:08:35.454]Well I just have to say, speaking of your students
[00:08:37.845]and I wanna talk about that just a little bit.
[00:08:40.365]Cuz from that first day (laughing)
[00:08:42.446]when we presented and Caitlin and I collaborated
[00:08:45.975]on that engagement and we didn't know what to expect.
[00:08:50.004](laughing)
[00:08:51.187]And I thought it was very possible that we would
[00:08:53.599]have students that would say "oh rural"
[00:08:56.238](laughing)
[00:08:58.231]And which just did not happen.
[00:09:00.712]They were engaged, they asked great questions.
[00:09:04.535]And, I've now had the opportunity on three occasions to
[00:09:08.526]engage with your students and provide them some feedback
[00:09:12.525]and get to know 'em a little bit.
[00:09:14.256]And enjoy dreaming with them about what these projects
[00:09:17.815]could do for a rural community. So Kenzie and Stacy.
[00:09:21.760]I'd like both of you to talk a little about
[00:09:25.374]those 26 students in that class.
[00:09:28.654]Because they're very diverse.
[00:09:31.379]They come from global perspectives in many cases.
[00:09:37.341]And even as we talk often here
[00:09:41.090]about crossing the rural urban divide,
[00:09:43.651]you have clearly urban based students there very engaged
[00:09:48.132]in how to make a thriving rural community work, so.
[00:09:52.803]I'd like for you to talk a little bit about
[00:09:54.762]the students in that class.
[00:09:56.224]So I mean, we do we have 26 really diverse people
[00:09:58.912]from small towns like me up to bigger,
[00:10:01.002]way bigger cities, Chicago areas.
[00:10:03.786]So I mean, its interesting to kind of see how
[00:10:05.918]everybody takes a different approach on their different
[00:10:08.321]projects that they have and how their backgrounds and like
[00:10:11.177]ideas all play into that.
[00:10:12.617]Yeah
[00:10:14.437]Yeah, we've got some nontraditional students,
[00:10:16.532]like you spoke about so its really cool just to see
[00:10:18.741]how everybody's background really plays into everything.
[00:10:21.945]Yeah. I love seeing the diversity in their solutions
[00:10:24.488]and where they decided to site their solutions, so.
[00:10:26.801]In the beginning phases, you know, we said
[00:10:29.280]here's your broad topics to research.
[00:10:31.528]And it was kind of fun to see their individual strengths
[00:10:33.425]come through in what types and places that they sought
[00:10:37.314]out for these projects.
[00:10:38.624]So we're having students use everything from,
[00:10:40.528]abandoned churches to, you know,
[00:10:43.441]under utilized quonsets Yes.
[00:10:45.444](laughing) I love the quonset projects.
[00:10:47.968]We saw some of those so. yeah.
[00:10:51.032]It's just a really, it's a really great class.
[00:10:53.621]And it's so fun to see all the wide
[00:10:56.038]variety of solutions that they propose.
[00:10:58.128]And we are even able to think about it a little bit
[00:10:58.961]from the business aspect.
[00:11:02.058]Right. So some of our students
[00:11:02.891]are very business minded and, you know,
[00:11:05.217]we talked about what's the value proposition?
[00:11:07.734]Why are people gonna go here? How are you gonna market this?
[00:11:10.617]Could it exist in real, you know, real life?
[00:11:13.859]Could this really come to fruition,
[00:11:16.140]be profitable, all of that stuff.
[00:11:18.238]So it's a very cohesive approach
[00:11:19.991]and its fun to see their individual strengths.
[00:11:22.823]Okay, so you have at least one international student
[00:11:25.246]Yes, mhm.
[00:11:26.079]That, whose project actually the first time that I saw it
[00:11:29.097]Yes, yeah was in these final reviews.
[00:11:31.121]That was, brought a, (laughing)
[00:11:32.993]quite an interesting perspective.
[00:11:35.485]To what a rural community attracting artists
[00:11:38.900]might really look like.
[00:11:41.094]Absolutely It made made me wanna go
[00:11:42.348]Oh I'll tell you that.
[00:11:43.418]Absolutely (laughing) absolutely!
[00:11:45.944]Well listen, ya know, each time I sat through
[00:11:49.048]a review of these projects.
[00:11:51.242]I just couldn't help but think about the impact that these
[00:11:56.673]projects could have on potentially thriving rural
[00:11:59.888]communities, in today's world.
[00:12:02.095]It wasn't a matter of trying to slip back to some bygone era
[00:12:06.912]it really was responsive to interests,
[00:12:10.207]uh in today's world. I thought that was fun.
[00:12:14.654]Ya know, two things that we know about creativity and uh,
[00:12:18.345]during my time in Oklahoma I had a chance
[00:12:20.511]to be face to face with Richard Florida whose done
[00:12:23.337]some of the Seminole research around the creative class,
[00:12:28.150]and two things that he said are number one,
[00:12:31.518]creativity is an unlimited resource that is constantly
[00:12:35.480]renewed and improved by education
[00:12:37.756]and by the interaction of human beings.
[00:12:41.515]And I thought that was important. And second,
[00:12:45.198]in thinking about these projects, he said,
[00:12:47.877]smart, talented people are attracted to a place
[00:12:51.828]where there are other smart, talented people.
[00:12:55.275]So listen, what's next for these projects?
[00:12:59.958]Are there communities that have some
[00:13:03.148]interest in taking them up?
[00:13:05.300]Do the students have some ideas about uh,
[00:13:08.050]actually going and presenting to city council, or
[00:13:11.133](laughing)
[00:13:13.031]the smart creative people in a community, what's the plan?
[00:13:17.174]Absolutely, well the students are really in charge
[00:13:19.122]of telling their own stories.
[00:13:20.515]So a lot of them are starting off telling that
[00:13:23.371]through their Instagram accounts,
[00:13:25.376]it's a very accessible resource,
[00:13:27.191]Sure. um you can look up,
[00:13:28.429]#UNLArchitecture, #UNLInteriordesign, to see some of those
[00:13:32.878]as they, kinda make it publish worthy.
[00:13:35.629](chuckling) Some of their results.
[00:13:37.927]And the other thing, is I've encouraged a lot
[00:13:39.548]of the students that did very site specific research.
[00:13:42.631]I've encouraged them to reach back out
[00:13:44.421]and share their results.
[00:13:45.629]You know, if they've called the town librarian.
[00:13:47.597]Sure. If they've called you know,
[00:13:50.340]if they've surveyed people and they have their email address
[00:13:52.333]to share their results and start that communication
[00:13:54.413]cuz, we know a lot of these projects would take a
[00:13:56.770]significant, capital investment to see.
[00:13:59.115]Right.
[00:14:00.083]However, they can really start the conversation
[00:14:03.816]and that's what I think is so exciting is, you know
[00:14:07.400]people can, there's one student whose gonna take
[00:14:10.136]her project back to the hometown that she grew up in
[00:14:13.379]and post it in her dad's auto store.
[00:14:16.672]And just really start the conversation that,
[00:14:18.615]look we have space we can do some exciting things with it.
[00:14:23.433]And to start to attract that creative class
[00:14:25.367]Exactly. in different people.
[00:14:27.112]To come and experience rural Nebraska itself,
[00:14:29.418]and hopefully fall in love with it.
[00:14:30.930]True, true. Yeah, absolutely.
[00:14:32.775]So they're in charge. I just was, honestly
[00:14:34.029]I was pleased that you didn't say to your students,
[00:14:37.906]we begin with, okay there are limited resources
[00:14:41.484]Right, right and it may be hard
[00:14:42.838]to raise the capital because quite honestly we tell
[00:14:46.727]ourselves that myth sometimes and I think about at Cozad.
[00:14:50.205]You have people who have invested back in your community.
[00:14:54.172]In making change and we, in fact,
[00:14:56.437]when you look at the six factors that we think describe
[00:14:59.355]a thriving rural community one of those is,
[00:15:02.312]a willingness to invest in ourselves.
[00:15:06.073]And there are communities that are doing that, so.
[00:15:09.075]I just think some of those projects may have more potential
[00:15:13.413]traction than even the students think they do.
[00:15:15.808]Oh, absolutely. If, uh, if folks in the
[00:15:17.359]community are willing to make those investments would say
[00:15:20.116]here's a little risk that we'd be willing to take, so.
[00:15:25.265]I hope that happens.
[00:15:27.119]Yeah, me too. Yeah, I really do.
[00:15:29.382]Well listen, to both of you we often say at
[00:15:33.974]the Rural Futures Institute that thriving hi-tach,
[00:15:37.480]hi-tech rural communities,
[00:15:39.389]which is our big area audacious goal,
[00:15:41.602]is not a one size fits all proposition.
[00:15:45.197]Its really requires thinking creatively around the unique
[00:15:49.612]assets in a community and then encouraging, empowering,
[00:15:54.478]future focused leaders to jump on
[00:15:57.904]those opportunities. Take the risk.
[00:16:00.804]Make the investment to make something happen, so.
[00:16:03.701]I just think you've done something really special with this
[00:16:06.362]class and I hope through the Rural Futures Institute
[00:16:09.047]we can continue to help telling that story.
[00:16:12.435]Encouraging our audience that might be interested in
[00:16:16.739]some of these projects to be in touch.
[00:16:18.526]We would be happy to be that conduit, if that is necessary.
[00:16:23.219]But anyway, anything else either of
[00:16:25.231]you would like to add today?
[00:16:27.325]No, I think this was just such a great opportunity.
[00:16:29.329]Thank you for all your resources
[00:16:31.050]and coming to help our students.
[00:16:32.267]It really broaden their minds to what interior design
[00:16:36.635]can do in rural Nebraska.
[00:16:38.253]And I think that's super exciting.
[00:16:39.852]Great fun.
[00:16:41.066]So Kenzie, what are you gonna do with your life?
[00:16:43.936](laughing)
[00:16:45.376]I'll actually be returning to
[00:16:47.334]hometown area after college,
[00:16:49.314]hopefully to starting my own small interior design firm.
[00:16:52.951]Maybe partnering with my dad and
[00:16:54.723]doing some custom homes, or something.
[00:16:56.907]I'd love to incorporate, after this project,
[00:16:58.627]kind of that rural development side.
[00:17:00.138]Sure.
[00:17:00.971]It's really sparked a lot of my interest, so
[00:17:02.219](laughing)
[00:17:03.972]Yeah, hopefully. we'll see what happens.
[00:17:05.557]We're gonna be cheering for ya.
[00:17:06.774]Thank you (laughing) This is super.
[00:17:08.327]Well listen folks, I want you to stay in touch with the
[00:17:10.536]Rural Futures Institute through our website.
[00:17:13.149]Through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn.
[00:17:16.203]All of those tools. We're gonna be back next week.
[00:17:19.423]Meeting more real people talking about real places that
[00:17:22.995]demonstrate thriving rural communities are legitimate
[00:17:26.372]best choice for worth while living.
[00:17:28.653]Thanks for joining us.

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Catch Up With Chuck | Episode 25

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