Rural Leadership North Dakota (RLND), an initiative by North Dakota State University Extension, just unveiled its 10th class and it’s a promising bunch, set to kick off their 18-month journey in November 2023.
What’s RLND? Think of it as a platform shaping North Dakota's next-gen leaders. It's all about fostering growth in individuals and equipping them to handle agricultural policies, rural trends, and everything that shapes North Dakota’s tomorrow.
This 10th class? It's a pretty diverse lot. They come from fields like ranching, farming, research, manufacturing, and even government! Well, there's J. Andresen from Hillsboro, Anna Ross from Belcourt, Kyle Klapper also from Hillsboro, and James Zorn from Cavalier, to name a few.
Katie Tyler, the person steering the ship at RLND, is excited about this group. “These individuals,” she says, “all share a dream of strengthening North Dakota. And they're all set to polish their leadership abilities together."
They'll be attending in-state workshops, which will involve tours of agri-businesses. There's also a regional and national seminar, giving them a chance to rub shoulders with some big names in agriculture, business, and governance. But here's the cherry on top – an international study tour. Past classes have jetted off to countries like Brazil, Thailand, and Spain to understand global agri-policies.
By the time Class IX graduates this November, RLND would have shaped over 150 leaders.
Dreaming of joining the league? Be prepared, because it is not easy to get in. There’s a thorough application and interview process, and the next round of applications will open in January 2025.
Funding-wise, NDSU Extension, participant fees, and kind sponsors ensure this program runs smoothly. Just to give you an idea, it costs about $16,000 per class member for the two-year cycle. But don't worry, participants only contributed $4,000 in tuition.
Photo Credit: istock-rustic
Categories: North Dakota, Rural Lifestyle