Scott Peters
Assistant Professor
Department of Education
Cornell University
417 Kennedy Hall
Ithaca, NY 14853
(607) 255-9713, (607) 255-7905 fax

John Allen
Director
Western Rural Development Center
8335 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322-8335
(435) 797-9732, (435) 797-9733 fax

http://extension.usu.edu/wrdc

Extension educators’ core work is typically understood to be the provision of research-based information and knowledge to individuals, families, organizations, policy makers, and the general public. But the larger purpose of extension education--both historically and in contemporary society—is human and community development. While this purpose is often proclaimed in mission statements, program goals, and various reporting and public relations documents, why and how educators have pursued it in actual practice have not been adequately theorized from historical and empirical evidence, and are generally overlooked, misunderstood, or taken for granted. A better and more critical understanding of the theory and practice of human and community development work in extension education must be developed if extension is to
improve, deepen and expand its role in helping citizens and communities meet the civic challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

Scott Peters will begin the presentation with an overview of the early history of extension’s community development mission, set in the larger context of the struggle to gain legitimacy and support for community development work in the United States. John Allen will follow this by examining where community development theory is today and the outreach practices currently used by Extension professionals. Through this dialogue possible directions for community development will be explored.

Scott Peters is an assistant professor in the department of education at Cornell University. He received a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, and a doctorate in educational policy and administration from the University of Minnesota. Before his graduate study, Peters served for nearly 10 years (1984-1993) as program director of the University YMCA at the University of Illinois. His work with the University YMCA was focused on civic education and community development, pursued through a variety of community-university partnerships. His 1998 book, The Promise of Association, chronicles the history of the University YMCA for its 125th anniversary.

Peters’ current research program combines the study of the history of American higher education’s civic mission and work with a study of the contemporary civic education and community development practices of academic professionals. His work has been published in several journals, including Agricultural History, the Michigan Journal of Community Service-Learning, the Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, Higher Education Exchange, and the Journal of Extension. His new book, Engaging Campus and Community: The Practice of Public Scholarship in the American Land-Grant University System, will be published by Kettering Foundation Press in 2005.

PowerPoint Presentation (PDF format, 786 kb)

John C. Allen is director of the Western Rural Development Center and professor in the department of sociology, social work and anthropology at Utah State University in Logan. Allen received his bachelor’s degree in sociology from Southern Oregon State University, his master’s degree in urban sociology from Portland State University, and his doctorate in sociology from Washington State University, Pullman.

Allen grew up on a ranch in eastern Oregon. Since that time, he has worked as a farmer/rancher, journalist, market researcher and professor. Before accepting the position of WRDC director, he was director of the Center for Applied Rural Innovation at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Allen’s current professional activities focus on rural community development, entrepreneurial communities, and natural resource management throughout the West. His in-depth community research has spanned the nation, and he continues to examine how communities develop assets to create positive futures. Allen’s research has been adapted to Cooperative Extension educational programs, including Navigating the Net, Master Navigator, Working More Effectively in Rural Communities, Community Conflict Management, the EDGE (Enhancing Developing and Growing Entrepreneurs), Nebraska Annual Rural Poll, Tilling the Soil of Opportunity, and Asset Based Community Development.

Allen has more than 100 publications, including journal articles, technical reports, books and book chapters. His research has been highlighted in national media such as the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.

Allen’s research interests are focused in three basic areas: 1) The impact of information age technology on economic development. 2) How communities respond to change. His co-authored book titled Against All Odds: Rural Community in the Information Age with Dr. Don Dillman of Washington State University, highlights this research. 3) The impact of sustainable agriculture on rural communities, and the role natural resources play in rural development.

Rural policy has continued to play a role in Allen’s research, applied work and international rural development activities. He has worked in Australia at both the government and community levels during the last decade.