By Nicole Morell, Taubman Center for State and Local Government
The Taubman Center for State and Local Government’s annual State and Local Economic Development (SLED) Seminar and accompanying Rural Economic Development Trek give Harvard Kennedy School students hands-on experience with the challenges and opportunities facing rural economies.
Read more about this year’s three-day trek across New Hampshire, during which students met with local leaders, policymakers, and business owners to explore how collaboration, infrastructure, and community engagement drive inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
__
In October, more than 30 HKS students ventured out on a three-day Rural Economic Development Trek as part of the Taubman Center’s eighth annual State and Local Economic Development (SLED) Seminar. The seminar, which runs throughout the academic year, invites professionals working in economic development to join students for monthly conversations about the field, its challenges and opportunities, and career pathways for those passionate about this space. Every year, roughly 100 HKS students apply to be one of the 30 seminar participants.
To supplement this dynamic seminar, students take a three-day trip to learn about the economic issues and policies impacting local businesses and individuals in rural communities. The trek gives students firsthand insight into rural economic development, offers direct learning from practitioners and policymakers, and fosters connections across HKS degree programs and years.
This year, students—along with Taubman Center staff and Jayne Millerick, Taubman Center Visiting Fellow and former Chief of Staff to Governor Chris Sununu—visited various locations across New Hampshire, including Littleton, Hampton Beach, Gunstock Mountain, the state house, local chambers of commerce, and an apple orchard to meet with local leaders and community members. At each site, students and local leaders gathered to discuss rural economic issues and strategies such as small business and main street development, agribusiness, outdoor recreation and tourism, and talent attraction.
The Taubman Center selected New Hampshire as the destination for the trek to expose students to perspectives and politics unique to the Granite State. Taubman Center Executive Director Rafael Carbonell shares, “In the current political environment, it was especially important for us to provide students with the opportunity to engage with policymakers and practitioners from a diversity of viewpoints. New Hampshire’s ‘Live Free or Die’ motto is embodied in so much of the state’s ethos and policymaking, and we wanted our students to learn firsthand from the people on the front lines of economic development as to how this philosophy plays out in rural communities throughout the state.”
During the trek, students captured reflections on the experience, expectations, and what they learned. A selection of these reflections from students Ian Curtis MPP 2027, Sarah Xu MPP 2026, Cameron Davis MPA 2026, Zara Porter MPP 2027, Michelle Fausto MPP 2027, and Sahian Valladares MC/MPA 2026 is shared below.
Varied experiences drive interest in economic development
The stops on the trek were as varied as the students’ reasons for joining it, which ranged from an interest in what New Hampshire looked like outside of ski season to exploring the relationship between economic development and healthy communities.
Ian Curtis, who previously worked as a legislative aide in Oregon, was eager to understand the impacts of effective economic development. “I really wanted to dive deeper into the issues and understand how we can promote growth in our communities that raises the standard of living, grows tax bases, and reinforces good public services,” he shares.
For California native Sarah Xu, the trek was an opportunity to learn more about the economics of the state she had known as an outdoor tourist destination. “Before the trek, my impression of New Hampshire was limited to its 48 high peaks and reputation for spectacular leaf peeping,” she shares. “Little did I know that the promotion of outdoor activities like hiking, kayaking, and skiing is a central component of the state’s economic development strategy.”
Cameron Davis, who previously worked across private, public, and nonprofit sectors, noted his interest in better connecting these areas to support communities. “In my early career, I saw firsthand how siloed business and government initiatives won’t work in tackling tough economic challenges in our increasingly complex, globalized world,” he shares.
For Zara Porter, the trek provided an opportunity to explore the intersection of two areas she is passionate about: economic justice and health policy. “I believe that inclusive policies that improve the economic well-being of communities have the potential to improve overall quality of life and support safe and healthy communities,” she says. “The seminar felt like a great opportunity to translate my health policy research background into state and local policy design.”
Michelle Fausto shares that the trek was an opportunity to see how communities similar to the one she grew up were navigating shifting economic landscapes. “Having grown up in a community in California with rural roots that now faces many crossroads with economic development efforts, it was especially important for me to learn equitable and inclusive ways to make local economies thrive,” she says.
Sahian Valladares was eager to see how local leadership and collaboration could shape strong local economies. “I was drawn to the trek because it offered a chance to learn how collaboration across sectors shapes decision making and delivers tangible results,” she says.
Gaining insights and perspective into rural economies
As the trek made stops throughout the state, the transformative change in the state’s economy over the past few decades was a recurring theme. “Many of the leaders we spoke to pointed to the ‘miracle of the New Hampshire economy’ going from paper mills and rust-belt downturns to high-tech small cities and labs growing human organs,” says Davis, who notes that this change was no accident. “That transformation was an international collaborative effort of public and private sector leaders coming together on key challenges, including attracting a trained workforce and building out healthcare capacity.”
That statewide impact was visible at the local level, through small businesses like Schilling Beer, where the trek cohort stopped to speak with owner Jeff Cozzens. “I loved hearing and seeing the impact that one business—Schilling Beer Company—has had on the entire community of Littleton, New Hampshire,” says Curtis. “Learning about the transformative effect that this one small business has had on the town left me feeling very optimistic about how small towns across our country can redefine themselves over a short period of time. One successful restaurant or destination can serve as a catalyst that can turn a community around. As local government leaders, it’s our job to help nurture these types of businesses.”
A stop at the Hampton Beach Chamber of Commerce provided another view into public-private partnerships that can support these local businesses. Porter shares that insights from the president of the Hampton Beach Chamber of Commerce, John Nyhan, resonated with her. “He shared his top considerations to keep in mind when pursuing economic development initiatives,” she says. “He emphasized finding trusted messengers in the community to share the vision, centering community voice, obtaining buy-in from various stakeholders, and building trust.”
Valladares was also inspired by the effective partnership between nonprofits and state and local government. “One of the most meaningful visits was to Easterseals New Hampshire in Franklin, where we learned about the organization’s new Military and Veterans Campus from Chief Military and Veterans Service Office Allen Aldenberg,” she shares. “Hearing how the campus supports veterans through workforce development, housing, and health services demonstrated how coordination across agencies and organizations can create lasting community impact.”
Returning with lessons from the trek
The students also shared some lessons they will take into their work and studies. “When we met with Jeff Cozzens at Schilling Beer, we asked about challenges to growth. Jeff highlighted the role of local planning to build necessary public infrastructure,” shares Xu. “This surprised me. While I have worked on energy resilience policy issues in the past, I had not deeply considered or appreciated the essential role of utilities in supporting the growth of small businesses.”
For Fausto, who previously worked in Los Angeles supporting small businesses, one lesson was how shared goals can help to power a region, “At first glance, I wasn’t sure how places like a brewery, ski resort, or a pick-your-own fruit farm would have much in common, but it was evident that by the end of the trek, the businesses shared the same desire to uplift their surrounding community through opportunity creation,” she says.
Porter shares that the trek changed the way she interacts with communities in her everyday life. “Economic development is everywhere. I visited Salem, MA recently to enjoy the fall scenery and learn more about the Witch Trials. While there, I thought ‘I wonder what revenue and job opportunities look like during the town’s peak season for local businesses as compared to the off season,’ and ‘How does the town supplement their tourism initiatives during the off season?’ I’m not sure what the answers are, but I’m looking forward to having more conversations with my seminar cohort members, staff, and speakers to continue reflecting on these questions and more,” she says.
This story was originally published on the Taubman Center for State and Local Government website.
