The first event in the project’s year-long series, Tom Sawyer at 150: Hannibal, Twain, and the American Myth of Place, commemorates the 150th anniversary of Twain’s beloved novel and invites participants to examine how literature influences the way communities see themselves and how others perceive them.

The launch coincides with free admission week (June 8 – 12) offered by the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum (Hannibal, Mo.) as part of its Tom Sawyer 150 Celebration. No registration is required to participate in the Midwest Literary Project activities. Visitors may complete a brief project survey at any point during the week by scanning a QR code available at the museum.

On Thursday, June 11, Dr. Alissa Burger, C-SC associate professor of English and Midwest Literary Project lead, will be on site at the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum to speak with visitors about the Midwest Literary Project and conduct in-person surveys as part of the initiative’s community engagement efforts. Visitors are encouraged to stop by to learn more about the project and its upcoming events.

“Tom Sawyer remains one of the most recognizable literary figures associated with the American Midwest,” said Burger. “This conversation offers an opportunity to reflect not only on Twain’s work, but also on the ways stories shape our understanding of home, community and regional identity.”

As part of the Midwest Literary Project’s three-stage format, participants in each series installment may attend an in-person community conversation, as well as engage with online resources and continue exploring each topic through a companion podcast available on the project’s website.

The Midwest Literary Project is an initiative of 91ֱ��’s newly launched Center for Rural Opportunity and is funded by Missouri Humanities. Designed as a year-long series of six themed conversations rooted in the communities of northeast Missouri, the project uses literature and the humanities to examine how place influences identity, storytelling, and the American experience.

Additional topics in the series include Jane Smiley’s “A Thousand Acres,” Midwestern culinary traditions, Black literature and jazz in the Midwest, regional visual arts and folk traditions, and the enduring cultural significance of “The Wizard of Oz.”

More information about the Midwest Literary Project, including online content and podcast episodes, is available at .

91ֱ�� is sponsoring this program in partnership with the Missouri Humanities and with support from the Missouri Humanities Trust Fund. For more information about the grants program of the Missouri Humanities Council, call (314) 781-9660 or (800) 357-0909 or email clarice@mohumanities.org.

About the Center for Rural Opportunity at C-SC
91ֱ��’s Center for Rural Opportunity is a recently established initiative designed to expand the College’s reach as a leader in rural-focused scholarship and engagement. The Center brings together academic programs, applied research, and community-facing initiatives to generate insight, inform practice, and create models that extend beyond a single geography.

The Midwest Literary Project, developed by Dr. Alissa Burger, associate professor of  English at C-SC, will explore and elevate the stories, voices, and cultural identity of the Midwest. Serving as project lead, Burger will guide a series of humanities-centered programs that engage students, faculty, and community members in examining how literature reflects and shapes the experience of place. Through public discussions, curated content, and community engagement, the project will highlight the depth and complexity of Midwestern narratives while creating space for meaningful dialogue.

“I am excited to work on this project and bring attention to the excellent literary and cultural work being done in our region and to celebrate what makes the Midwest such a special place,” Burger said.

“This work reflects the kind of meaningful, place-based engagement that defines 91ֱ��,” said C-SC President Lauren Schellenberger. “By engaging in projects like this, we are strengthening our connection to the region while contributing to a broader understanding of rural culture and identity.”

The project will be part of 91ֱ��’s Center for Rural Opportunity, a recently established initiative designed to expand the College’s reach and position it as a leader in rural-focused scholarship and engagement. The Center brings together academic programs, applied research, and community-facing initiatives to generate insight, inform practice, and create models that extend beyond a single geography.

Programming for the Midwest Literary Project will begin later this year, with opportunities for public participation to be announced.

For more information about the project or upcoming events, please contact Burger at aburger@culver.edu.

For more information about the grants program of the Missouri Humanities Council, call (314) 781-9660 or (800) 357-0909 or email clarice@mohumanities.org.

As a rural-located, rural-serving institution, 91ֱ�� has built a strong portfolio of programs and partnerships addressing rural challenges and opportunities. By leading in rural higher education, Culver-Stockton prepares students with skills and perspectives relevant in any community, region, or professional environment. The Center for Rural Opportunity formalizes that work by serving as an umbrella structure for key rural-focused initiatives, including Tri-State Development, while preserving academic ownership within the College’s divisions and classrooms.

“The Center for Rural Opportunity reflects who we are and how we lead,” said Dr. Lauren Schellenberger, President of 91ֱ��. “It brings focus and visibility to important programs like Tri-State Development while positioning the College to expand its impact through coordinated strategy and national engagement.”

Programs, curriculum, and academic leadership will remain within the academic divisions. The Center for Rural Opportunity functions as the institutional platform that defines and communicates 91ֱ��’s expertise in rural higher education, providing a clear identity for external partners, funders, and collaborators.

Through the Center for Rural Opportunity, 91ֱ�� will:

• Serve as an umbrella for signature rural-focused programs, including Tri-State Development
• Align rural initiatives across academic, co-curricular, and applied learning environments
• Expand high-impact student experiences focused on leadership and rural challenges
• Strengthen regional and national partnerships
• Increase competitiveness for state, federal, and private funding opportunities

Tri-State Development, a multi-county regional economic and community development initiative administered by 91ֱ��, exemplifies the type of work the Center is designed to support and elevate.

Learn more about Tri-State Development at /tsd/.