(l to r) Kelley Erstine, UCA chief of staff, Shelley Mehl, associate vice president of outreach and community engagement, Mike Preston, executive drector of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and Amy Whitehead, director, Center for Community and Economic Development
A diverse group of over 130 community leaders from the mid-south region participated in the 29th annual Community Development Institute (CDI) at the University of Central Arkansas. The four day training session, held August 3-6, concluded with a special graduation and awards ceremony.
The Arkansas Community Development Society (ACDS) was honored with the Friend of Community Development Award, offered each year to an individual or organization that demonstrates strong support for community development and CDI. ACDS has been instrumental in supporting community developers and their efforts since 1977.
Sherry McDonnell, PCED, Program Manager for Community Development at Entergy Arkansas received the Bill Miller Award as recognition for her longstanding leadership and support of CDI, which includes many years of service as a CDI Board Member. McDonnell’s support was critical to CDI’s growth through periods of leadership transition.
Linda Tyler of Conway was selected by her peers to receive the Ernest Whitelaw Award. The Whitelaw award recipient is someone who has demonstrated dedication to professional community development practice, a willingness to assume leadership roles, and a spirit of caring and inclusion, along with strong personal integrity.
In addition to recognizing key supporters, the closing ceremony is a celebration of participants’ commitment to lifelong learning. Amy Whitehead, CDI Director, said, “After four long days of training, our participants ended this Institute on a high note. Hearing participants share stories of what they plan to do back in their communities with what they have learned throughout the week is very rewarding. This closing event is just a small way for UCA to recognize the enormous level of work that our participants are putting in to making Arkansas and other states a better place to live and work.”
The week’s activities also included remarks by Arkansas Economic Development Director Mike Preston, and tours and simulations that took participants throughout central Arkansas.
The Community Development Institute, established in 1987 at the University of Central Arkansas, in Conway, Arkansas, trains community and economic development professionals from Arkansas and surrounding states. The complete CDI experience is a three year training program, with four days of training per year. Participants move through the program curriculum in cohorts, and are exposed to a comprehensive, applied approach to the field of community and economic development.
For more information about CDI, visit uca.edu/cdi, or contact Josh Markham at 501-450-3460 or joshm@uca.edu.
-30 –
