Tag: Economic Development Administration University Center

Meet CPW GTF: Leigh Anne Michael

Posted on by Julia Havens

Name: Leigh Anne Michael Leigh Anne Michael Community Planning Workshop Community Service Center

Where were you born and where do you call home?
I was born in Pennsylvania but grew up in Tennessee. I spent the majority of my life in Tennessee before moving to Oregon for Graduate School. However, I now consider Oregon my home. I’ve created a life here with my fiancé and our two dogs. There is something about this area that makes me happy.

What’s your favorite pig-out food?
Normally I would have said mashed potatoes, but since moving to Oregon turns out everything is my pig-out food. The food here is just way too good!

In which University of Oregon graduate program are you enrolled? 
I am in the Master of Community and Regional Planning program focusing on Economic Development.

What Community Service Center program(s) are you working with?
Community Planning Workshop (CPW)

What are you doing for the Community Service Center (CSC)?
I am a project coordinator for Community Planning Workshop (CPW). CPW is a two term (20 week long) experiential learning class for first year community and regional planning students. Each year the students work on a real-life project in an Oregon community. Starting in January and going through June 2014, I will manage a team of graduate students working on a real-life project.

What project are you working on?
I don’t know if I can spill the beans on the project yet, but let’s just say it’s a really cool economic development project in the Eugene area focusing on local food.

What are some of the outcomes are you hoping to gain when your project ends?
There are three layers of outcomes I am hoping to gain when the project ends. First, I am hoping the project will be something useful for the community and help move local economic development initiatives forward. Second, I hope the project will inform and inspire my project team and give them not only planning skills, but also project management skills moving forward in their careers. Finally, I hope this project and experience improves my project management skills and provides me with additional skills and knowledge regarding economic development.

How does your involvement with the Community Service Center relate to or inform your education?
I don’t know if I can even explain how much my involvement with the Community Service Center (CSC) relates and informs my education. First, the Community Service Center has been the biggest influence on my learning while at the University. I am a hands-on learner and the experiential learning provided by the CSC and CPW works perfectly with how I prefer to learn. Second, I am beginning my fifth economic development project with the CSC. With every project, I learn a new skill or a new piece of information that I carry on to my next project/experience. Everything I am learning from the CSC and CPW will be directly transferable to whatever job or experience comes my way after graduation.

What advice would you give to your younger self just beginning the CSC program?
Challenge yourself more. The Community Service Center provides a unique experience that you won’t gain anywhere else. Use this opportunity provided by the CSC to push yourself a little bit harder and challenge yourself a little bit more. I promise it is worth it.

If you could plan the perfect holiday, what would it be?
A perfect holiday is sitting at home with my family. My parents live in Tennessee, my brother lives in California, and my fiancé and I live in Oregon. The holidays are my favorite because we are all back together again hanging out and having a great time.

Stories from the Field: A RARE AmeriCorps Perspective

Posted on by Julia Havens

Eastern Oregon Beer Festival

Harnessing A Town’s Passion to Create Sustainability

La Grande, Oregon is a small rural town of 13,000 people, nestled in the Grande Ronde Valley. Most people in the town are farmers, livestock ranchers, and of course, beer enthusiasts. Upon my arrival two and a half months ago, many of the remarks I heard involved the common notion that everyone works for themselves, and people are unwilling to work together for the greater good. How can that create a sustainable town for the coming years? With a university up the hill, and the railroad line close to downtown, this small town should be able to create some connections that will help it grow in the future.

Another common notion that I heard floating around during my short time here, is that many people have been talking with each other about holding an Eastern Oregon Beer Festival. My initial thoughts: Why hasn’t this happened yet? Who is going to do this if we don’t? Holy Cow… a beer festival in Eastern Oregon! How long would it take for something like this to create stability in this town?

So of course, La Grande Main Street Downtown decided to take the initiative to begin the planning process. The organization committee met to discuss whether this was a feasible attempt. And yes, it was a go! About a month after creating the Beer Fest subcommittee, we are now seeing a new form of diversity in the group, and we can see the passion that people have for this. All it took, was one organization to stand up and take the initiative to start the process.

At our latest meeting, we had an equal amount of old faces, along with new ones. The recruiting process has been simple… word of mouth travels far. Since people in this town are already passionate about beer, and by creating an avenue for these people, we are receiving higher levels of participation than any of our past events. Our hope for this event is to gain profits that can sustain a coordinator role here in the La Grande Main Street Downtown office, in addition to filling our downtown property, like the old Ale House. If we hold a major festival here in this town, businesses will come, and the town will prosper. So everyone, keep a look out for the First Annual Eastern Oregon Beer Festival! It’s going to be a good one.

 

Saira Siddiqui RARE AmeriCorps ParticipantAbout the Author:  Saira Siddiqui received her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Design with Minors in Studio Art and English from the University at Buffalo, New York.  As a student, Saira held internships with the Buffalo Olmstead Parks Conservancy and the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning.  Saira applied to the RARE AmeriCorps Program – Resource Assistance for Rural Environments in hopes of gaining hands-on experience in the community development field while making positive changes in the community she serves.  Her RARE placement is with La Grande Main Street Downtown.