Congratulations to Payton Womack for accepting the Graduate Assistant (GA) position with the TCRI CARES project. Payton is an Exceptional Learning Ph.D. (ELPhD) student in the Planning & Evaluation (PPE) concentration, and Dr. Ashley Akenson, Dr. Andrea Arce-Trigatti, and Dr. George Chitiyo will work with Payton on the project’s research and PPE model design. The research seeks to develop and implement an accessible, sustainable, and responsive PPE model that will promote rural economic resiliency during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The model will serve the Upper Cumberland region, but will be intentionally designed to support replication in rural regions across the nation. Womack states, "After seeing the effects of the coronavirus in my rural community, I felt very drawn to TCRI CARES project. The applied research within the grant provides me with an innovative opportunity to develop a PPE model for rural businesses during disasters such as what we are experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The model will help businesses better navigate and prepare for future related impacts to build economic resiliency and overall preparedness. I am personally excited to put my passion for rural communities to work with the intention to become stronger and better within the Upper Cumberland, and across other rural areas in the nation."  

As advising PPE faculty researchers, Drs. Arce-Trigatti, Akenson, and Chitiyo will make impacts within the economic recovery of our Upper Cumberland service region through provision of knowledge and resources into the project. Dr. Chitiyo states, “I am very excited for Payton. She has just the right skill set to make a difference in the community within the scope of the TCRI CARES project.” Dr. Arce-Trigatti shares, “The focus of the TCRI CARES project is so important. We are thrilled to support Payton’s role in the efforts related to promoting rural economic resiliency in our community and beyond. This is such a wonderful opportunity for her to leverage what she learns in the PPE program and apply valuable concepts from her studies to work she is deeply passionate about.” Dr. Akenson underscored the scholarly and community importance of TCRI CARES, “This offers a meaningful opportunity for an ELPhD student to apply PPE theory and practices to a real-world project that not only enhances her development as a scholar and PPE practitioner, but also to contributes to the well-being of our community. As our community sees economic recovery and growth, Payton and everyone involved have the chance to move benefits out regionally and nationally—so we thrive together. It is an honor for us all to be a part of this grant.”  

Wings up Payton and the ELPhD PPE concentration! Stay tuned to the Grand Challenge Newsroom for updates of TCRI CARES impacts on our community and beyond the service region. 

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