America's democracy is dependent on citizens to engage in ways that address public concerns which range from volunteerism to electoral participation to running for elected offices. Each of these activities is necessary for sustaining a thriving democracy and the communities within it. Rural communities throughout the United States are faced with population loss and declining civic engagement. There is a large amount of research surrounding the topic of civic engagement as it relates to both youth and aging adults. However, there is a gap in the research that looks at civic engagement in adults ranging from ages 25 to 50. The current study was conducted using generic qualitative inquiry to answer the research question: What is the lived experience of adults learning to civically engage in rural communities? Eleven rural adults from a Midwestern state were interviewed to better understand their experiences of learning to civically engage. Thematic analysis was used to allow patterns and themes to emerge directly from the data. The study found participants experienced three overarching themes: passion and enjoyment for their civic engagement work, connectedness to people and their community, and a sense that their engagement contributed to the greater good in their community. A unique finding in this study is the role that passion plays in learning and civic engagement. Rural communities are unique and their ability to adapt and change to a complex environment is dependent on citizen engagement. This study offers information about how adults engaging in rural communities have experienced citizen engagement. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]