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SDSU Extension Welcomes Joshua Hofer to Community Vitality Team

a headshot of Joshua Hofer
Joshua Hofer

BROOKINGS, S.D. - Joshua Hofer is the newest member of SDSU Extension’s Community Vitality team of field specialists who assist with business, leadership and community development needs across the state. 

Hofer, a native of Freeman, South Dakota, brings experience in grant writing, city development, and business and organization management to his new role.

“I’ve always been invested in creating vibrant, sustainable communities,” Hofer said. “I view this as a wonderful opportunity to join a special team building a better South Dakota.”

Hofer joined SDSU Extension on May 1, 2020, and will work with SDSU Extension’s Community Vitality Team to provide programming to interested communities and organizations. He is especially interested in public spaces and Main Streets in South Dakota small towns and is interested in exploring placemaking opportunities. A relatively new concept to community development, placemaking is a collaborative process among various community entities to create quality places that people want to live, work, play and learn in. 

Hofer is also excited about the collaboration SDSU Extension has with the land-grant university system in the state. 

“It’s exciting to work with research-backed community development efforts and synergize with professors, those in academia and the private sector,” Hofer said. “We can do good.”

Hofer earned an undergraduate degree in music and theatre from Goshen College in Indiana and an advanced degree in arts administration from Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. His previous roles include working as a grants specialist for the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls and serving as director of development and marketing for the city of Freeman. Hofer also established the South Dakota Chislic Festival as a non-profit organization in his hometown of Freeman and currently serves on the organization’s board of directors.

To learn more about programs and resources offered by SDSU Extension’s Community Vitality team, visit the Community Vitality page. Contact Hofer directly by email or call 605.995.7378.