Dirigo: Collaborative Leadership for a Resilient Future in Rural Maine

Author ORCID Identifier

0009-0000-1059-543X

Degree Year

2026

Document Type

Thesis - Oberlin Community Only

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Environmental Studies

Advisor(s)

Swapna Pathak

Committee Member(s)

Swapna Pathak
Rumi Shammin
John Gunn

Keywords

Environmental studies, Maine, Civic leadership, Resilience, Rural governance, Municipal government

Abstract

Rural Maine municipalities traditionally govern themselves but frequently lack the capacity to address complex ecological and community changes. This thesis investigates the essential role of civil society in bridging these capacity gaps through community resilience planning. In examining case studies in the Lakes Region and Oxford Hills, the Rural Civic Leadership Framework is introduced to incorporate previously understood civic participation while creating a typology for the active leadership required to sustain rural governance.

While grassroots initiatives provide groundbreaking momentum, community resilience requires co-leadership between municipal officials and a robust civil society to prevent volunteer burnout and sustained progress. Ultimately, the success of Maine’s local governance depends on the state’s motto, Dirigo (“I lead”), being lived out by its citizens through active engagement in their communities.

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