S03E11 – the Role of HBCUs in Rural Education, an Interview with President Logan Hampton of Lane College. In this episode of the Rural Voice, we interviewed Dr. Logan Hampton President of Lane College in Jackson Tennessee. We open the discussion discussing the role of Jackson Tennessee as both a small urban and rural location. We discuss how perception of what constitutes rural versus urban can vary depending on students experience and perception. The episode shifts to discussing Lane College which is a traditional black college in Tennessee. Dr Hampton discusses the demographics of the types of students who attend, offering accessibility to students who might not consider higher education. Lane is housed on a former plantation and is now an institution of higher education. This story demonstrates how spaces with a strained history can be repurposed to serve students in need. We discussed how HBCUs serve an important role in rural education. Lane has a religious affiliation, and we discuss how religion can also provide a framework for values and ethics. Dr Hampton discusses why higher education spaces can be capitalized on finding common ground for difficult conversations. He proposes that higher education should be used for hosting and facilitating difficult conversations to find common ground. In other words, let’s stop focusing on the differences and find love of our fellow people. We end the episode discussing enrollment numbers nationally and locally at Lane regarding people of color and gender. Bio Logan Hampton was named 10th President of Lane College by the Lane College Board of Trustees on June 12, 2014. Dr. Hampton earned a doctorate in higher education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, a master's degree in student personnel services from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La., and a bachelor's degree in biology from Arkansas Tech University. Prior to coming to Lane College, Dr. Hampton served in numerous student services capacities at UALR including Vice Provost for Student Affairs. Before UALR, Hampton held positions at Texas A & M University, Texas Christian University, and the University of Central Arkansas. In addition to working as a higher education administrator, Dr. Hampton is an ordained elder in full connection of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME). He served twenty-four years as a pastor in the Arkansas Region of the First Episcopal District of the CME Church. He and his wife, Susan, are the parents of three adult children: Elise, Crystal and Logan III.