CDI Central

The University of Central Arkansas served as the host site of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas 2026 National Civics Bee Arkansas State Finals! Our team had so much fun attending, cheering on the talented students, and assisting in setup.

Congratulations to Jai D. of El Dorado (coached by participant Karen Hicks of the El Dorado-Union County Chamber of Commerce) on his win! He will represent Arkansas at Nationals in Washington DC.

Congratulations to Mallory Nelson of the Little Rock Regional Chamber on her Arkansas Business "20 in their Twenties" recognition! Mallory is a current participant, former UCA CCED Community and Economic Development Fellow, and University of Central Arkansas graduate. Mallory is an exemplary example of cultivating the community and economic talent pipeline. She is a young leader who has accomplished so much and has more impact to come!

Members of the CDI Alumni Network and our colleagues in UCA Outreach & Community Engagement convened at Providence Park Homes to hear about the life changing impact they have on the chronically homeless in Pulaski County.

We are thankful for the team at Providence Park for hosting us and sharing their story! Our hope is that others engage with this valuable resource to better understand homelessness in our communities and how we as leaders can be advocates in ensuring all Arkansans have opportunities that lead to dignity, safety, and a good quality of life.

Tonight we celebrated women in community and economic development and educated up-and-coming community and economic development leaders during the last session of the Women's Leadership Network Academy!

Thank you to Julia Dossett Morgan, PCED of the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, Mallory Nelson of the Little Rock Regional Chamber, Shawanna Rodgers of the Conway, Arkansas, City of Colleges, and Kim Williams of Conway Downtown Partnership for joining us as experts during this session.

Not only do festivals support local economies when visitors eat, stay, and spend in our communities, they can also give back to critical non profit organizations like the Arkansas Imagination Library!

Thank you to Toad Suck Daze for their generous donation to the Faulkner County Imagination Library!

Our team is searching for a current UCA student who is interested in an on-campus internship/student worker position! This position will support the Community Development Institute, training events, and technical assistance projects across the state.

The position is 20 hours a week for the summer and fall.

Please share the position found at this link: https://jobs.uca.edu/postings/19147

Any questions can be sent to [email protected]

Student Worker The Center for Community & Economic Development Student Worker provides support for the team’s various trainings, events, and community projects throughout the year.