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headshot of Michael Perry, Energize keynote speaker

Register now for 2024 SDSU Extension Energize conference

February 13, 2024

Registration is open for the sixth annual South Dakota State University Extension Community Vitality Energize Conference on May 22 and 23, 2024, in Hot Springs.

About six people sit around a table in a community room with notebooks and pens

SDSU Extension Community Vitality built on foundation of empowering people

February 09, 2024

Now a full-fledged capstone within SDSU Extension, community development – since renamed Community Vitality – has evolved and grown in the last 20 years. Program leaders agree the community work they did through Horizons laid the foundation for what would become a successfully thriving SDSU Extension Community Vitality program.

A room of people sit around tables and listen to the young entrepreneurs panel at the 2023 Energize conference in Wessington Springs

Hot Springs to host SDSU Extension 2024 Energize Conference

December 29, 2023

South Dakota State University Extension Community Vitality and the community of Hot Springs will host the 2024 Energize Exploring Innovative Rural Communities Conference on May 22 and 23, 2024.

Kellie Ecker Kolb smiles for a portrait

SDSU Extension welcomes new Community Vitality Field Specialist to Aberdeen office

August 22, 2023

SDSU Extension is pleased to welcome Kellie Ecker Kolb as a new Community Vitality Field Specialist based out of the Aberdeen Regional Center.

Sun rising over small town mainstreet.

SDSU Extension to host webinar on rural community narratives

August 15, 2023

“Rewriting the Rural Narrative,” hosted by South Dakota State University Extension, starts at 5:30 p.m. MT/6:30 p.m. CDT on Aug. 17.

Three women sit at a booth in a small cafe.

Community Vitality helping train South Dakota board members for service with customized curriculum

June 15, 2023

The SDSU Extension Community Vitality team has created the Building Highly Effective Boards curriculum to teach South Dakota board members how to thrive in their roles.

Road sign reading "Welcome to South Dakota - Great Faces, Great Places"

Put Your Location on the Map along the US Highway 14 SD Rural Road Trip Trail

May 03, 2023

SDSU Extension is holding a series of community meetings to share and collect information to promote tourism along U.S. Highway 14, which runs east-west across north-central South Dakota.

South Dakota State University Extension, Community Vitality Home Starts Here podcast cover

SDSU Extension Community Vitality launches new podcast, ‘Home Starts Here’

December 18, 2023

The South Dakota State University Extension Community Vitality team is proud to announce the launch of their new podcast, "Home Starts Here". For its fourth episode, there will be a live recording of “Home Starts Here” at 1 p.m. on March 25 at the Heritage Hall Museum complex during the 2023 Schmeckfest festival in Freeman, South Dakota.