News Release
For Immediate Release — March 3, 2011
UT Extension Ag Economist to Serve as President of National Organization
Dr. Michael Wilcox, Assistant Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics, was recently named president-elect of the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals (NACDEP). Photo by M. Wilson.
Download photo
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — An agricultural economist with University of Tennessee Extension will soon lead a national organization that focuses on community development, including enhancing the country’s rural economies and creating jobs.
Dr. Michael Wilcox was recently named president-elect of the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals (NACDEP). Dr. Wilcox will assume his new role at the organization’s upcoming conference in Charleston, South Carolina, in March. He will then assume duties as President in 2012 and help plan and coordinate the group’s national meeting in Utah.
NACDEP is dedicated to improving the visibility, coordination, professional status and resource base of community and economic development for Extension programs and professionals nationwide. It has about 300 members, and Wilcox has been part of the group since he first joined UT in 2006.
“One of my main goals as president will be to get more Extension Agent participation and more student participation,” Dr. Wilcox said. “This is an important organization for Extension professionals who have an interest in community economic development. Here they can network with colleagues from across the country and really learn from each other.”
Dr. Wilcox’s research focus is on the factors that impact rural economic development in Tennessee. His work seeks to enhance community vitality through strengthening existing and new businesses to thrive through economic initiatives. He co-founded the “Sustainable Tennessee” program, which focuses on entrepreneurship, workforce development and land use.
He also recently co-wrote a national curriculum through the National E-Commerce Extension Initiative on developing a Web presence for local communities and governments. He worked on this project with colleagues from Oklahoma State University and the University of Nebraska.
Dr. Wilcox says he’s concerned that the current economy is impacting community development programs within many of our nation’s land-grant universities, and this is a trend that will be felt negatively on the local level. “Extension services across the country continue to consolidate, and community development is shrinking on the faculty side. As the need is increasing, unfortunately, we have fewer people working in this very important field.”
Wilcox said that his hope is for NACDEP to continue to grow as an organization, and that could benefit state Extension services’ ability to push for community economic development. “Extension can offer a competitive advantage in assisting state programs,” he explained.
“We encourage all UT faculty to develop national reputations, and Dr. Wilcox being elected president-elect of NACDEP shows that he has quickly established himself as a leader among Extension community development professionals nationwide,” Dr. Tim Cross, dean of UT Extension, said. “Our communities have many pressing needs, and it’s reassuring to know that Michael will be leading an association that supports Extension professionals in developing and evaluating programs to address these needs across Tennessee and the nation.”
“What better time than now to have one of our faculty members in a national leadership position focusing on rural economies and creating jobs,” says Dr. Delton Gerloff, department head for UT Agricultural and Resource Economics. “Michael will do a terrific job, and we are proud that he is in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics here at UT. UT Extension, UTIA, and the University stand to benefit significantly from his being in this national leadership role.”
Dr. Wilcox is an Assistant Professor in Agricultural and Resource Economics. He holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University, and degrees from Auburn and Cornell Universities.
UT Extension operates in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties as the off-campus division of the UT Institute of Agriculture. An educational and outreach organization funded by federal, state and local governments, UT Extension, in cooperation with Tennessee State University, brings research-based information about agriculture, family and consumer sciences, and youth and community development to the people of Tennessee where they live and work.
###
Contacts:
Dr. Michael Wilcox, UT Agricultural and Resource Economics, 865-974-7410, mwilcox2@utk.edu
Chuck Denney, UTIA Marketing and Communications Services, 865-974-7367, cmdenney@utk.edu