The Community Development Society awarded Associate Professor of Public Administration Margaret Stout the Outstanding Community Development Educator Award on June 13 in Big Sky, Montana. The Society’s annual conference was held in conjunction with the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals, and included an Awards Banquet for the two groups.
As the program explained, this award is presented to a CDS member in recognition for their outstanding contributions within community development education. This person should exemplify the Principles of Good Practice as adopted by the Society and illustrate them in their educational practice within formal and/or informal educational settings. The program went on to explain that "Professor Stout’s courses take the student (and the community) step by step through the community development process in ways that increase both theoretical and practical knowledge and serve the communities that are part of the service learning application of cutting edge theory and practice. Her courses provide real-world learning experience for her students, centered on best practices and collaborative community development. As her students noted, “One of the very first pillars that we learned is that community members must be leading the change, hence her and now my mantra, ‘We are here to work with you, not for you.’ Dr. Stout is not just an expert, but an expert on tap who encourages absolute participation and involvement of residents in the matters that affect them, and teaches her students like me, to see it as the perfect things to do.
Craig Talmage, who co-led the award ceremony with Extension Service’s Michael Dougherty (who received the Joint NACDEP-CDS Award), noted that the Society had never received so many letters for an award nomination—from students, colleagues, and community members alike.
“As a long-time community development practitioner-turned academic, this is a particularly meaningful award to me,” Stout said. “As some of my early students like Carrie Staton can tell you, it was difficult for me to translate training staff and peers to teaching newly-minted bachelors in graduate courses. Not everyone taking an elective in community development for a master’s degree in public administration is as passionate and driven as those wishing to prepare for a career in this work.
“It’s taken me some years to work out the kinks for a series of courses that build core competencies in the principles of good practice, while, at the same time, delivering useful products to host communities. Sorting out assignments that marry the two purposes without overwhelming students with work is a real challenge! Even with significant attention to this balance, my students and I all work really hard, as those in the room will tell you.
“But it is incredibly rewarding to sit beside some of them at this joint NACDEP and CDS conference, like Chris Agba and Daniel Eades, seeing them achieve success in their careers and advancement as scholars. In fact, I share this award with those students—we are in a learning relationship that goes both ways. I continue to learn with them and from them.
“I’m thrilled to receive this award—I hope to leverage it toward expanded curriculum in community development at WVU."
Margaret Stout, Ph. D bio on the Department of Public Administration website.