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| Quarterly Newsletter | Volume 1, Issue 2 |
| Spring 2009 | |
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Upcoming Events: IIRA Sponsored ConferencesExploring Innovation Contract Compliance for Government Contractors,
April 30,
Springfield, Illinois West Central Illinois Small Business Day: Growing Through Innovation, May 20 Galesburg, Illinois Illinois Leadership Conference,
June 9 Problem Solving in a Challenging Economy, Midwest Community Development Institute Programs: Illinois Value Added Sustainable Development Center (IVASDC) Rural Economic Technical Assistance Center (RETAC) Rural Information Rural Transit Assistance Center (RTAC) Midwest Community Development Center |
From the Director |
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It’s hard to believe that more than a month has passed since the 20th Annual Rural Community Development Conference. We continue to hear from attendees about how much they learned from the speakers and also from each other. I hope that those of you who attended enjoyed the conference as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you. Speakers at this year’s conference included Brent Hales, Associate Professor of Economic Development and Workforce Development at the University of Southern Mississippi. Hales presented two sessions on the work he’s been doing with the Southern Entrepreneurship Program (SEP). The program provides high school and community college students an opportunity to work within their communities, fostering embedded entrepreneurialism. SEP participants receive hands-on experience in accounting, marketing, and developing a business plan, while learning the crucial skills needed for new business development. Hales, who also serves as a researcher for the Trent Lott National Center for Excellence in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship, recently wrote a Rural Research Report for IIRA. The report, Southern Entrepreneurship Program, is now available on IIRA’s website. Greg Wise, Professor of Community Resource Development with the University of Wisconsin-Extension, discussed the promotion of entrepreneurship through regional Inventor & Entrepreneur (I & E) Clubs. Wise, also Director for the Center for Community and Economic Development at the University of Wisconsin-Extension, stressed the importance of several ingredients necessary to promote entrepreneurial communities. |
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| Building and supporting business skills, developing resource centers, creating community awareness and building networks each play a vital role in providing a strong base for success, according to Wise. He has recently published a report as well, expanding on his presentations. Wisconsin Inventor & Entrepreneur Clubs: Investment in an Innovative Approach to Entrepreneurship has also been made available on IIRA's website. |  Pictured at the general session, from left to right, Greg Wise, IIRA Director Chris Merrett, and David Ivan. |
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The staff at IIRA is already hard at work on next year’s program and we welcome your input. Please click here to complete the brief post-conference evaluation and share your impressions of the conference. Sincerely. Registration Now Open for the Midwest Community Development Institute IIRA’s Midwest Community Development Institute (CDI) is a comprehensive training program in community and economic development designed for community leaders, development professionals, and elected officials. CDI is an intensive, fun, invigorating five day training program held each August in Moline, Illinois. For more information or to register, click here . For more information about this conference, available reports, or the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs, please visit our website. |
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* Located at Western Illinois University, the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs is designed to improve the quality of life in rural areas by developing public-private partnerships with local agencies on small business development and community development projects in rural areas. The Institute works on projects including rural economic and community development (including value-added agriculture), health care, education, public transportation, public management policies, housing, and technology.*
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