APPLY NOW to the 2025-26 KY RUX cohort! 🎉
The 2024 cohort in Owensboro.
Calling all connective Kentucky leaders to explore Kentucky with you. Apply by March 10!
The Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange (RUX) cohort is a leadership program designed to develop skills and confidence, grow social capital, and build relationships to bridge divides.
Upon acceptance, cohort members commit to 4 community intensive conferences over a 2-year period, with two intensives scheduled between May-October each year. Cohort members will also be able to attend two optional relationship & partnership-building weekends with alumni. Over two years, each cohort is hosted in at least four communities of varied size and geography.
2025 Application Process Timeline
February 10 - Applications Open
February 22 - Virtual Open House (optional)
March 10 - Applications Close
March 26 - Acceptance Notification
April 4 - Signed Commitment, Participation Fee, & Bio due
April 26, 10am ET/9am CT - Virtual Orientation (via Zoom)
May 1 - Public Announcement of KY RUX 2025 Cohort
The cohort at Clay Hill Memorial Forest during the Campbellsville Intensive, May 2024.
Where are we going this year?
Our two Community Intensive conferences will be held in Campbellsville & Taylor County (May 23-25) and Morehead & Rowan County (July 18-20).
Who can apply?
As an ideal candidate for RUX, you are passionate about your community and want to contribute to community solutions. You equally desire to learn about other Kentucky communities and are ready to listen deeply, develop meaningful relationships, and lend their your expertise. The ideal RUX candidate is thoughtful, sincere, curious, accountable, respectful, and open.
We value the whole person at RUX. The ideal RUX cohort will include members from various stages of life, experience, and career development. RUX alumni are aged 18-72 and work as farmers, nurses, poets, factory workers, CEOs, teachers, elected officials, and more.
PLUS!
As a cohort member, you will also be invited to our Third Weekend alumni & network gathering, which will be hosted this year from September 5-7 at Pennyrile State Resort Park.
You also get access to RUX's microgrant program, receiving seed funds to kick off projects you've brainstormed with your fellow RUXers & RUX alumni!
Cohort & alumni gather at Third Weekend at Carter Caves State Resort Park, August 2024.
Can't join us?
Join the KY RUX membership program! As a member-at-large, your contributions directly support our annual cohort experience and statewide alumni network. Choose the membership circle and tier that works best for you. Learn more about these membership options at kyrux.org/membership. We are deeply grateful for your support!