Rural Arizona is Looking or a Few Good Leaders
Rural leaders sought for highly regarded leadership program: Applications are being accepted for the nineteenth class of Project CENTRL, a two-year leadership development program. The program consists of 12 three-day seminars that focus on polishing one’s personal leadership skills and include topics on community and economic development, natural resources and environmental issues, global dynamics, education, rural/urban interface, emerging public policy issues and the Arizona legislative process.
Farm Bureau’s highly popular Effective Communications Seminar is part if the training. Members of the class select and conduct an internship that provides practical application of their CENTRL experiences and also attend a study tour in Sonora, Mexico. The final seminar is held in Washington, DC. Over 460 rural Arizona leaders have completed Project CENTRL since the educational program began in 1983.
“Farm Bureau members are strongly encouraged to participate in this program,” says Arizona Farm Bureau President and graduate of CENTRL Class VII, Kevin Rogers. “This is a great way to learn about issues and become better spokespeople, but especially to network with other people who you will know for a lifetime. Project CENTRL is hands-on learning that assists highly-motivated residents of rural Arizona who have strong rural interests and wish to develop their leadership potential to meet rural challenges,” he added.
Candidates for the CENTRL program must be residents of, or involved with, rural areas of Arizona and demonstrate leadership qualities as evidenced by their participation in community, political or organizational activities. Project CENTRL is open to Arizona residents who are at least 25 years of age and is a partnership between the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Service and the non-profit Center for Rural Leadership Foundation.
Applications for the next class are due by June 1, 2007. Applicants will be interviewed during the summer, with selections being announced in late-August. If you would like an application and/or additional information about the program, contact the Project CENTRL Office at 820 E. Cottonwood Lane Bldg C, Casa Grande, AZ 85222, call (520) 316-0909, or email us at For more information you can go online at http://ag.arizona.edu/centrl.
