Community Development Institute

Join us on for episode 58 of the CDI Podcast as our CCED 2022 spring intern Dalton Thompson and UCA student Gabrielle Harvey speak with Arkansas Lt. Governor Tim Griffin! Lt. Governor Griffin shares his background, vision, and scope of work. Learn more by listening to his story on the CDI Podcast.

Health is a critical component of a strong community and economic development ecosystem. On this week's CDI Podcast, we deep dive into why creating healthy communities is important with Robert Furrey, Associate Vice President of Hospital Operations at Baptist Health Medical Center - Conway. Robert also shares his thoughts on HOW we can support our citizens on their health journey.

On the latest episode of the #CDIPodcast, we are joined by Zachary Mannheimer of Atlas Community Studios and Alquist 3D to learn about his career, a holistic approach to community and economic development, and the future of affordable housing development with 3D printed homes.

Fun Fact: Zachary is a certified Arkansas Traveler through the State of Arkansas!

Why should community leaders focus on mental health as an important economic issue? According to a study published by PharmacoEconomics, latest estimates show that the incremental economic burden of adults with major depressive disorders (MDD) was $326 billion in 2018, 38 percent higher than in 2010. On this week's CDI Podcast, we explore why supporting mental health should be a crucial piece of every leader's community and economic development plans.

Since its inception in 2016, the Arkansas Coding Academy (ARCA) has provided information technology training to individuals looking to learn new technical skills. On this week's CDI Podcast episode, ARCA Director Alison Wish shares how ARCA supports its students and the workforce demands in our state in a unique way.

On this episode of the CDI Podcast, we're joined by Dr. Ryan Watley, CEO of Go Forward Pine Bluff, to learn about their progress on community and economic development initiatives in Pine Bluff including their downtown streetscape and upcoming 6th Avenue Project.

On this episode of the CDI Podcast, we are joined by CCED Graduate Assistant, Greta Hacker, as she interviews UCA Professor and Director of the UCA Public Administration Program, Dr. Kim Hoffman. We will hear about Dr. Hoffman's career, her thoughts on civics education, and the value of public service in our communities.

Joe Borgstrom's 20+ year career in community and economic development has been focused on helping communities develop into their best selves, build their future, and tell their stories. Joe's company, Place + Main Advisors, understands the importance of a multi layered development approach, at neighborhood, downtown, citywide and regional levels. Tune into this week's CDI Podcast as we explore the amazing work that Joe and Place + Main Advisor's are a part of.

On this episode of the CDI Podcast, we're joined by Senator Joyce Elliott to discuss her new civic engagement organization, Get Loud, Arkansas, that aims to register new voters, engage low propensity voters, and mobilize all Eligible voters to utilize the power of their vote to shape the future of Arkansas. We discuss Senator Elliott's career, the goals of this effort, and how you can get involved in the process.

It's the season 3 premiere! Listen in on our conversation with University of Central Arkansas Chief of Staff and Bill Miller Award winner Amy Whitehead! We discuss the UCA Extension services group and UCA's role in community and economic development in the state of Arkansas.