NACDEP Newsletter                                                                                    Spring  Edition

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2026 NACDEP Spring Newsletter

From The Editor

From the Editor: Colleagues, greetings.  I hope everyone’s spring is off to a good start.  We are counting down the months until the annual conference in Wichita in June.  We have a lot of information about the conference in this issue of the newsletter.  Plus, we have other items that are bound to pique your interest. So be sure to go through the entire issue.  Find out what your colleagues have planned, meetings, events, initiatives and so forth.

This is the final newsletter issue with Jaime Menon as president.  It has been a real pleasure for me to work with Jaime. Our organization has been very fortunate to have her leadership over the past year.  Thanks Jaime, for all you have done for NACDEP.

And as you all might expect we begin the spring issue with Jaime’s presidential column.  Thanks to all of our members for making this organization so important to community development personnel everywhere!

Sincerely,

Thomas W. Blaine, PhD
Associate Professor
Ohio State University Extension
NACDEP Newsletter Editor

President's Column

Submitted by Jaime Menon
Kansas State University
NACDEP President

Face the Music

Jaime Menon, President, NACDEP

On a calm weekend morning, while I was driving, I decided to see what the radio was playing. That’s when Hanson's “MMMBop” came on. Now, when I was a teenager, I would have immediately switched the channel. This had no place in my eclectic musical palette – this was that bubble gum pop junk - so I wasn’t listening. 

Today I turned the dial to blast. The reason came from wisdom and nostalgia. It was when I was in my late 20s that I was in a thrift store, and I heard it piping in from the ceiling. Unable to change the channel, I actually listened to the lyrics, and it changed my perspective:

“You have so many relationships in this life
Only one or two will last
You go through all the pain and strife
Then you turn your back, and they're gone so fast…
And they're gone so fast, 
So hold on, the ones who really care
In the end, they'll be the only ones there
And when you get old and start losing your hair
Can you tell me who will still care?”

It was toe-tappingly tragic. It had been a song written by children, for a world that didn’t expect to hear such wise words from “kids”. I certainly didn’t expect such profound wisdom from a pop song. And now, decades later, it lands differently.

The Power of Organized Sound

Music is not a passive experience. It is biochemical, neurological, and deeply personal all at once. Research confirms what most of us already feel deeply: music affects us in measurable ways.

A perfect example would be Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now.” Cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Jacob Jolij of the University of Groningen analyzed 126 songs spanning 50 years, examining beats per minute, musical key, chord complexity, and lyrical themes. He developed what he called a “happiness formula” for music, and “Don’t Stop Me Now” topped the list. The study, an extension of one previously conducted by Jolij, found that two-thirds of the 2,000 survey participants named it a favorite, and its fast tempo, major key, and joyful lyrics form what Jolij described as the ideal combination for inducing positive emotion. According to science, it is, quite literally, the happiest song on earth (the Boston Globe and others covered it too; this was the only link without a paywall).

On the other end of the spectrum sits Marconi Union’s “Weightless.” I stumbled upon this track while researching how to ease anxiety/symptoms of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). Released in 2011 and created in collaboration with the British Academy of Sound Therapy, the track was deliberately engineered to calm the nervous system. Researchers at Mindlab International, a neuroscience and consumer behavior lab, monitored the brain activity, heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing of 40 participants as they solved stress-inducing puzzles while listening to 10 different songs. “Weightless” reduced overall anxiety by 65% — more than any other song, more than a massage, more than silence. Its rhythm begins at 60 BPM and gradually slows to 50, triggering a phenomenon called “entrainment,” in which the listener’s heartbeat naturally follows the music downward. The lead researcher, Dr. David Lewis-Hodgson, actually cautioned people not to listen to it while driving because it was so effective at inducing drowsiness. A song so relaxing it carries a warning label.

I will admit that my favorite study on the power of music was done by the late Oliver Sacks, best known for his groundbreaking study that inspired the film Awakenings. If I have one regret in my life, it is being so concerned about missing class that I skipped a guest lecture featuring Oliver Sacks. His work, particularly in Musicophilia, provides some of the most compelling evidence of music’s neurological power. Sacks documented how patients with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and stroke could access memory and movement through music even when other cognitive functions had failed. By showing how rhythmic cues can bypass damaged motor systems and tap into resilient neural networks, Sacks proved that music is more than art—it is a vital therapeutic bridge to the self. If you want to see it in action and be simultaneously inspired and crushed, watch this video. I promise it’s worth it. 

Escaping the Moment

We often talk about songs that take us back — to a summer, a person, a version of ourselves we barely recognize anymore. But I want to ask you about a different kind of song. Not the one that transports you to 1994, or the first dance at your wedding, or the road trip you took before everything changed. I want to ask about the song that takes you beyond the moment. YOUR song. Close your eyes. Do you hear it?

The one that removes you from wherever you are — the overflowing inbox, the difficult conversation, the weight of whatever this week has asked of you — and deposits you somewhere else entirely. The song that makes your heart soar. The one that produces something that can only be described as bliss. The one that, for three or four minutes, makes you feel fully, unapologetically alive.

In community development work, we spend a lot of time thinking about what brings people together, what sustains them, and what helps them thrive. Music is almost always part of that answer — at community gatherings, in shared rituals, as background to the work of building something meaningful alongside other people. But the private relationship we each have with music? That’s worth celebrating too – and that was the intent of this article. 

To take a step outside of the usual note of inspiration and encouragement and take a moment to celebrate you. After a lot of thought, I imagined that this could be a way to do that. We spend a lot of energy on the real world, and that’s been rather taxing of late, so I thought that this time, instead of trying to creatively address the underlying concerns, I’d rather take this time to engage you in something that strikes a chord in all of us (pun intended). I figured you might be like me, and unless you’re given a moment to be asked, you might not bother to take the time. I wanted to encourage you to face the music in a deeply personal way and hopefully inject some bliss into your day. So, take a pause, listen, feel the exhilaration, and escape. You don’t do it often enough, I imagine.

That said, I can’t wait to escape with you to Wichita in June  – maybe we’ll hear your favorite tune when the DJ plays the night of the awards ceremony! I sure hope so.

What’s your song? I want to know. Want to know mine first? It’s already been mentioned, and it isn’t MMMBop.

"Music is the strongest form of magic." – Freddie Mercury

 "Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything." — Plato 

As usual, even though I’ve peppered this article with gifts, here’s more since I’ve taken you away from your work for some brief moments of bliss. For when you’re back at your desk needing to be productive – I have for you Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 and Bach’s Goldberg Variations – reported to be two of the best pieces of classical music for productivity (I use them regularly). Enjoy!

2026 Conference Update

Call for Abstracts: Mental and Behavioral Health Ecosystems

Submitted by Betsy Garrison
University of Arkansas

The Journal of Human Sciences and Extension (JHSE) is soliciting abstracts for a Summer 2027 special issue focused on "Mental and Behavioral Health Ecosystems." Community development and Extension professionals are uniquely positioned to bridge gaps between research and local service delivery. This issue seeks to highlight the evolving role of the Cooperative Extension System (CES) in addressing mental health needs through education, partnerships, and resource coordination. We welcome submissions across all JHSE article types, including research, innovative practices, and theoretical perspectives.

Deadline: Please submit a 250-word abstract by May 1, 2026.

Full Details: https://uwmadison.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5uWp4VScwwar9zM

Inquiries: Contact co-editor Betsy Garrison at [email protected].

Join Us at the National Rural Grocery Summit

Clara Misenhelter
Program Manager
Rural Grocery Initiative
Kansas State University

It is almost time for the 2026 National Rural Grocery Summit! Hosted by the Rural Grocery Initiative at Kansas State University, in partnership with the University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships and the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives, the summit will be held May 5-7, 2026 in Fargo, North Dakota.

If you are a community and economic development Extension professional invested in improving access to healthy food in rural communities, you won’t want to miss out on this event! The National Rural Grocery Summit, hosted every other year, is the premier networking and resource-sharing venue for independent grocers and rural food access stakeholders. It brings together grocery store owners, community leaders, food suppliers, academic researchers, healthy food access stakeholders, policy makers, and funders to connect and share lessons learned.

Highlights include:

• Multiple keynotes from thought leaders in rural grocery,
• Optional tours featuring innovative rural grocery models in Minnesota and North Dakota,
• 24 breakout sessions,
• Countless networking opportunities,
• And more!

Register here to attend the 2026 National Rural Grocery Summit.

USU Extension's E-Commerce Accelerator Increases Rural Business Online Sales

Submitted by Paul Hill, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Utah State Extension

Utah State University Extension’s E-commerce Accelerator was launched in 2023 with funding from the Utah Legislature to provide technical assistance and hands-on mentoring to small rural businesses and agricultural producers, helping them build online sales capacity. From January 2024 to July 2025, 35 businesses launched e-commerce websites, and 68% reported increased sales revenue, demonstrating the program’s effectiveness in strengthening rural entrepreneurship and economic resilience. Watch videos about the stories of rural businesses adopting e-commerce at usuecommerce.com

Ali, A. D., & Hill, P. (2025). Outcomes and Impact of an E-commerce Extension Program in Rural Utah. Outcomes and Impact Quarterly, 5(4). https://doi.org/10.59620/2995-2220.1113 

Local Foods: Slow Food in the Tetons Announces New Home for its Online Marketplace Program.

Charlotte Walker
Communications Director
Slow Food in the Tetons 
https://tetonslowfood.org 


About Slow Food in the Tetons

Slow Food in the Tetons is a nonprofit organization located in Jackson Hole that works to grow its local and regional sustainable food economy by supporting producers, educating consumers, and connecting them together in the spirit of good, clean, and fair food. https://tetonslowfood.org/

Jackson, WY – Slow Food in the Tetons is excited to announce that it will soon move its Online Marketplace program into 155 W Simpson Ave, located on the first floor of the Vertical Harvest building in downtown Jackson, creating a stable, year-round home for its online marketplace program, administrative offices for Slow Food staff and as a dedicated space that serves its producers and community members.

The Online Marketplace is a year-round, online farmers market that allows community members to shop from local and regional producers in one place, with a weekly ordering window and centralized pick-up. The program offers a wide selection of seasonal produce, meats, dairy and prepared foods, making it easier to access nourishing, local food.

For years, Slow Food in the Tetons staff have operated the program under tents through the winter months at the former farm stand location next to Graze Garden and Home, where the program began more than six years ago. As the program continued to grow and hit operational limitations, the organization began searching for a permanent space that could better support its expanding work connecting producers and consumers.

Since January 2026, Slow Food has been operating temporarily out of Jackson Hole Still Works, and extends sincere thanks to JH Still Works Owners, Travis Goodman and Chas Marsh for their generous hospitality during this transition.

Centrally located with ample parking, the new space will make it easier for customers to access the Online Marketplace. Its proximity to the summer Farm Stand at Snake River Brewing, the People’s Market, and our community gardens will help Slow Food remain connected, efficient, and visible, while strengthening coordination across programs. In this new space, Slow Food is actively working to enhance the Online Marketplace, with a focus on creating a more flexible and accessible experience while continuing to support producers.

“We are so excited about what this means for the future of Slow Food,” said Coulter Loft, Program Director of Slow Food in the Tetons. “Having a dedicated space unlocks so much potential for how we serve our community with nutritious, delicious local food.”

Slow Food in the Tetons is grateful for Vertical Harvest’s support throughout this process and is pleased to share a building, while looking ahead to potential opportunities and collaborations to further support community access to nutritious, locally sourced food.

The organization is moving Online Marketplace operations into the new community market space this April 2026, with the first customer pick-up scheduled for Thursday, April 16. Community members are encouraged to stay tuned for details and updates in the coming weeks.

The Online Marketplace is made possible in part through the generous support of Snake River Brewing and Teton Conservation District, whose commitment helps strengthen access to local and regional food across the community.

Other Slow Food programs will continue operating as usual. The People’s Market returns Wednesdays at the Center for the Arts starting June 3, and the Slow Food Farm Stand will operate out of Snake River Brewery on Thursdays and Fridays beginning June 25.