It turns out, Class 28 and Class 30 were exactly what made Class 29 so unique: we got the opportunity to go to Gettysburg, PA and Washington D.C. with Class 28 and Mexico with Class 30; multiplying the number of relationships I built for rural Arizona! Those relationships are still going strong now as nearly half of the CENTRL Alumni Committee are from those three classes. I am honored to serve as chair of that committee working to connect our nearly 750 Alumni in Action as tightly as Classes 28, 29 and 30!

Also multiplying is the number of opportunities to engage with the Arizona Center for Rural leadership’s vision of a healthy, vibrant and sustainable rural Arizona. I first heard Lisa Atkins speak to a Class before I applied; a relatively new practice of opening a class meal and speaker to people interested in the program. Since then, we have had an alumni retreat in Prescott to shape our Strategic Road Maps, visited new places for CENTRL Regional Connections like the White Mountain Apache tribe, Grand Canyon, Luke Air Force Base, Ajo, Kingman and the Hoover Dam. We brought in world-class speakers and experiential learning like Diamond 6 Pearl Harbor Leadership workshop and Roderick Logan Building Resilient Leaders. And each CENTRL class now visits seven different counties for their seven in-state seminars. This is all happening with increased investment from the State of Arizona and University of Arizona Cooperative Extension and record years in annual giving by YOU! 

This year's gifts were multiplied thanks to the generosity of Tom Jones, Class 2! All gifts on Giving Tuesday were matched up to $2,000. Will you consider making a gift for rural Arizona leaders?

All contributions to the Center help us equip and empower leaders to meet the needs of rural Arizona.

Sincerely,

Scott Pilchard, Class 29 +
CENTRL Alumni Committee Chair

I came into this program feeling out of place, I felt like I did not belong here. The other participants were so impressive, and I felt like I must have either got lucky, or just snuck in somehow but bottom line, I was afraid. I was definitely afraid of public speaking, I was afraid of not being smart enough, I was afraid of failing and most of all: letting everybody down. Early in the program I gave a speech and as hard as I tried to keep it together, I cried. It was my worst fear coming to life and I just wanted to hide because I couldn’t believe I was failing already. The other participants did so well, and. I went through the same training as they did but I couldn’t even deliver a good speech?! What is wrong with me, I thought. Not only that, but CRYING? How embarrassing. But then something happened, I looked around the room and saw other people crying. Then I finished my speech and everybody stood up and clapped. That was one of the best moments of my life and I think it brought our class closer together.

I finally felt like I can do this, but also, I realized that maybe other people felt like me too. I shared parts of my life that I had never talked about, and people connected with it! Since then, I’ve felt like everything I’ve ever done, all my experiences both good and bad have brought be to this moment in my life.
Like it was all for a purpose, and maybe I have a purpose as well. Each seminar that followed showed me a different part of the state and reminded me of a lot of the issues that have been around me my whole life. I am from rural Arizona, these are the issues that directly affect me and my family, these are the issues that are affecting my community, still to this day.

I finally felt like I can do this, but also, I realized that maybe other people felt like me too. I shared parts of my life that I had never talked about, and people connected with it! Since then, I’ve felt like everything I’ve ever done, all my experiences both good and bad have brought be to this moment in my life.

Like it was all for a purpose, and maybe I have a purpose as well. Each seminar that followed showed me a different part of the state and reminded me of a lot of the issues that have been around me my whole life. I am from rural Arizona, these are the issues that directly affect me and my family, these are the issues that are affecting my community, still to this day.

I think the biggest takeaway is that to get something done, you just have to go and do it. It’s okay to be scared, it’s ok to be different, and it’s definitely ok to cry. But at the end of it all, we are all in this together. Despite our differences, we are a lot more similar than we think. Now, I look at the term “life changing” in a whole new way.

I’m not making more money, but everything I have is more valuable to me. I didn’t change jobs, but I have new purpose. And I’m not going into politics, but I now know how to make a difference. This program is “life changing” in all of the best ways, and I finally understand what that means to me. I’m a better father, a better husband, and a better leader. So good job Project CENTRL! This program changed my life.

Will you join me in making a financial gift this Giving Tuesday?

Click here or visit www.centrl.org/donate

Javier Medina, Class 32, Yuma