Rural community colleges sit at an important crossroads between academia, business, and government. Because of this unique position, they influence the economic development of the region in which they are located in many ways, and their external stakeholders often have unique and useful perspectives on this influence that can be utilized by the…

The Cooperative Extension Service (Extension) is part of the land-grant university system with a mission of outreach and service in the areas of agriculture, natural resources, family and consumer sciences, youth development, and community economic development. As the number of minorities grows in the United States, Extension needs to ensure that…

This dissertation explores organizational narratives of engagement initiatives involving two comprehensive universities and the larger regional communities they serve. The purpose of this study is to develop a holistic description of engagement initiatives, reflecting data collected through interviews, documents and other artifacts from…