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November 10, 2023 - Filed Under: Community, Economic Development, Rural Development

RAYMOND, Miss. -- A Mississippi State University Extension Service specialist was recently recognized for her work with the rural tourism industry. Rachael Carter, tourism specialist with the MSU Extension Center for Government and Community Development, or CGCD, received the Agnes Zaiontz Rural Tourism Leadership Award from the Alabama-Mississippi-Tennessee Rural Tourism Conference committee.

September 8, 2023 - Filed Under: Community, City and County Government, Economic Development, Rural Development, Small Business

RAYMOND, Miss. -- Tourism employees, city council members, elected officials and others interested in growing tourism in rural areas are invited to attend an upcoming tri-state conference. The Alabama-Mississippi-Tennessee Rural Tourism Conference will be held Oct. 23-25 in Cleveland, Mississippi. The conference is open to anyone who works in tourism, economic development or public service. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with professionals in the tourism industry and attend multiple educational sessions.

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September 8, 2023 - Filed Under: Keys to the Community, Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Economic Development, Rural Development, Small Business

RAYMOND, Miss. -- In Mississippi, 230,000 residents lack access to high-speed internet and the many benefits it offers, but the Mississippi State University Extension Service is working to help change that. Devon Mills, an assistant Extension professor of agricultural economics, is leading an effort to build an inventory of all the organizations in the state working to promote digital skills and literacy. This effort, called the Mississippi Digital Asset Mapping Project, is helping spread the word about a survey to help construct that inventory.

A woman and a man pose in front of shopping bags and blue crates.
November 24, 2021 - Filed Under: Rural Development, AIM for CHangE

DREW, Miss. -- The small Delta town of Drew in the heart of Sunflower County has created a private, public and academic partnership to fight food insecurity.

For its efforts, the town recently received a big new honor, along with funding to advance ongoing health equity improvements. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) last month awarded Drew and nine other communities the 2020–2021 Culture of Health Prize, along with $25,000.

November 22, 2021 - Filed Under: Community, Rural Development

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- A team led by a Mississippi State University unit has been recognized on the national level for its contributions to race relations.

The Coming Together for Racial Understanding (CTRU) project received the 2021 National Diversity in Extension Award from the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, Cooperative Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Success Stories

Downtown lights shining along the sidewalk.
Marketing and Business Planning, Community, City and County Government, Economic Development, Rural Development, Small Business, Technology, Marketing
Volume 9 Number 3

The Excellence in Tourism Leadership Program is training volunteers, employees, and board members involved in Mississippi’s tourism sector and related organizations as they build networks with fellow tourism professionals.

A smiling woman stands beside a museum display.
Leadership, Agricultural Economics, Economic Development, Rural Development
Volume 9 Number 2

Former U.S. senators, award-winning authors, and influential musicians have called Carrollton home, so it makes sense that town leaders lean on those credentials to lure visitors to the town to generate revenue.

A professionally dressed woman standing in front of many rows of food cans and beside a sign that lists “HOPE.”
Health and Wellness, Community, Rural Development, Food and Health, AIM for CHangE, Rural Health
Volume 9 Number 2

Imagine what Mississippi might look like if everyone had access to healthy foods. The state could set an example for other rural states in using existing resources, collaborating with officials and stakeholders, and creating solutions that have measurable impacts for individuals and families.

: A man with a blue cap and glasses grabbing a blue bag of coffee for a blonde, smiling woman.
Marketing and Business Planning, Rural Development, Small Business, Technology, Marketing
Volume 9 Number 2

Bricks to Clicks provides free, low-cost, and easy-to-use marketing resources to help small businesses grow their audiences and income. Free marketing resources include a website course, one-on-one coaching, webinars, podcasts, a blog, and a bimonthly newsletter. With these marketing resources, business owners can get personalized guidance backed by decades of marketing experience to drive online awareness and engagement to increase sales.

A standing Black man points to a paper on a desk that a seated white man with a pen also points to.
City and County Government, Economic Development, Rural Development
Volume 9 Number 1

Corey Proctor describes New Augusta as a small town with a big heart.

He would know as well as anyone. He has called the seat of Perry County home for most of his adult life and was elected to serve on its board of aldermen in 2021.

Select Your County Office

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