Cultivating Collaboration in Guam
In late August, WRDC traveled across the International Date Line to connect with our land-grant partner, Unibetsedåt Guåhan | University of Guam (UOG).
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Strategic Planning Shapes Future WeCAN Programming
In mid-August, WRDC and Western Community Assessment Network (WeCAN) Director Dr. Lorie Higgins convened a strategic planning retreat in Boise, Idaho.
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Understanding Place, Building Stronger Connections: WRDC’s Alaska Visit
Western Rural Development Center (WRDC) staff traveled from Idaho to Alaska to visit the state’s two land-grant institutions, strengthen partnerships, and gain firsthand insight into the opportunities and challenges facing Alaska’s rural communities.
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WeCAN October Peer Learning Network Call: Community Civic Health
Community Civic Health event hosted by the Western Rural Development Center and Western Community Assessment Network, October 14, 2026, 10–11 a.m. PT and 11 a.m.–12 p.m. MT.
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WRDCÂ Expands Research Team
WRDC is pleased to announce four new faces joining us to support our research efforts. We welcome Post Doctoral research fellows Richard Acquah-Sarpong, Shengrong Hu, and Federico Ninivaggi; as well as visiting scholar Tatiane Almeida de Menezes.
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Western Region Household Survey Report Now Available
The Western Region Household Survey Report presents index measures that synthesize multiple survey questions from the WR-Stat: Baseline Survey 2024, a comprehensive household survey conducted across the thirteen states in the Western United States , into meaningful indicators of household and community well-being.
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WRDC Researchers Publish Study on Family Health and Entrepreneurial Success
WRDC researchers Nadeeka Weerasekara, Paul Lewin and Monica Fisher have published a new article on their study examining how family health influences the financial success of entrepreneurs.
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Understanding Rural–Non-Rural Gaps in Career Development Participation: New Insights from a National Study
Colleges increasingly emphasize internships, career counseling, and work-based learning as essential steps in preparing students for the transition from college to employment. A growing body of research shows that students who take part in these activities experience better hiring outcomes and stronger early-career earnings.
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WRDC Community Development Workshop Brings Land-Grant Professionals Together in Honolulu
In early April, the Western Rural Development Center (WRDC) convened land-grant faculty, Extension professionals, and applied researchers for the WRDC Community Development Workshop in Honolulu, Hawai‘i.
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Community Development Institute West Curriculum Announced
CDI West offers training in the essentials of creating healthy communities and economies – critical to survive and thrive in a time of shifting funding, policies and priorities. The Rural West needs increased local capacity, civic engagement and leadership development; new revenue and cooperative models; strong civic institutions; and a sense of shared responsibility and local ownership—all strategies covered at CDI West.
