S5:E20 - Would College Kids Return to Our Towns? with Jaci Praska
Release Date: 09/29/2025
S6:E14 - Mental Health Awareness in Small Towns with Chris “Rhino” Swenson
The Growing Small Towns Show
We’re closing out Part 1 of Season 6 with an episode about something near and dear to our hearts, and oh-so-important in rural and ag communities: mental health. For Mental Health Awareness Month, Rebecca sits down with therapist Chris Swenson — owner of Rhino Wellness Center and host of the Rhino Resilience podcast — to reframe what strength really looks like in rural communities. (Yes, we know that May is technically Mental Health Awareness Month, but we recorded this episode in May, so it counts, right?) Chris breaks down his four-pillar Rhino Resilience framework, explains...
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S6:E13 - How to Harness Creativity to Create Value in Small Towns with Jordan DeGree
The Growing Small Towns Show
Some people are just wired to make things better–in their businesses, their communities, their small towns–even when it's hard, and nobody around them quite gets it. This episode is for those people. We get it. Today’s guest, Jordan DeGree, gets it. And he has created the Rural Ideas Network to connect you with other people who get it, too. Today’s episode is what support and connection can look like, and where you can find them. About Jordan: Jordan DeGree is an entrepreneur, social innovator, artist, and comedian. No, just kidding about the comedian part. He's experimented with...
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S6:E12- Recruiting and Retaining Teachers in Small Towns with Amy Jacobson
The Growing Small Towns Show
Amy Jacobson is the Director of UND's Special Education Resident Teacher Program, and on today’s episode, she breaks down two innovative pathways that have trained roughly 600 special education teachers for North Dakota schools since 1997, including one designed for people who don't even have an undergraduate degree yet. The programs combine paid, year-long internships with layered mentorship and heavily subsidized graduate education, creating a model with remarkable retention rates in rural communities. Whether you're in North Dakota or not, this episode is full of transferable ideas for...
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S6:E11 - How Thinking Like a Futurist Can Benefit Small Towns with Rebecca Ryan
The Growing Small Towns Show
Rebecca sits down with futurist Rebecca Ryan for a conversation about why and how small towns need to stop planning for the past and start envisioning multiple possible futures. They discuss the PHOEBE energy assessment, the three futures framework, and why traditional stakeholder-based visioning often fails. It's one of those episodes that both challenges how you think while also encouraging you to work in your strengths, build trust over polish, and remember that the future isn't something that just happens to us—we happen to it too. About Rebecca: Rebecca Ryan is a noted top 50...
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S6:E10 - Connecting Students and Employers with the Career Carousel
The Growing Small Towns Show
This episode is about Oakes, ND’s first-ever Career Carousel, a speed-dating-style event that connected 52 high school juniors and seniors with 14 local employers for four-minute rotational conversations. The goal was to give students a safe, constructive space to practice professional interactions, learn about local opportunities like tuition reimbursement or who’s hiring in Oakes, and help employers connect with future talent. The pilot was a hit, which we’re tickled about, and we’re so excited because reaching even one student makes these efforts worthwhile. In this episode, we...
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S6:E9 - Growing Entrepreneurs in Small Towns with Andrew Button
The Growing Small Towns Show
What actually moves a small town forward? It’s not a lack of ideas, it’s a lack of execution. This episode digs into the mindset shift from planning to ownership, showing how consistent action, local investment, and focusing on the people who show up can create real momentum over time. It’s a practical, experience-based take on how we make things happen on the ground. About Andrew: After a 15-year career working in rural North America with the various businesses and economic development organizations, Andrew founded Mashup Lab (www.mashuplab.ca); a for-more-than-profit company...
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S6:E8 - Wisdom From 30 Years of Economic Development with Bob Wurl
The Growing Small Towns Show
What actually drives economic development in small towns? In this episode, Bob Wurl shares how community banking, long-term thinking, and a willingness to act—not just plan—have shaped his own small town’s success. It’s a practical look at what happens when people stop waiting for change and start building it themselves About Bob: Bob Wurl grew up in Hankinson, ND. He holds a B.S.B.A. degree with a major in Accounting from University of North Dakota and completed the Graduate School of Banking Program at the University of Wisconsin in 1995. He has 45 years of banking...
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S6:E7- Vacant Properties in Small Towns with Liz Kozub
The Growing Small Towns Show
Vacant and deteriorating properties are a challenge facing communities across the country—but small towns are not powerless to address them. In this episode, Liz from the Center for Community Progress shares practical strategies communities can use to inventory vacant buildings, navigate ownership challenges, and turn neglected properties into opportunities for revitalization. The conversation explores how data, partnerships, and creative thinking can help small towns reclaim the spaces that shape their future. About Liz: Liz Kozub is an Associate Director for Technical Assistance at the...
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S6:E6 - Foodies, Families and Unexpected Paths with Shawn and Aiden Ulmer
The Growing Small Towns Show
This episode features a local Oakes father/son duo and we’re so excited to introduce them to you! Shawn and Aiden Ulmer of the Angry Beaver Lodge share the story of a third-generation restaurant business and the unexpected path that brought Aiden back to Oaks. They discuss generational transitions, evolving bar culture, and the role local businesses play in creating community. This is a conversation about what draws people back to small towns and the active role communities can play in facilitating it. About Shawn and Aiden: Shawn grew up in Valley City, ND. He fell in love with the...
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S6:E5 - How Lack of Accessible Transportation is Impacting Aging in Place in Rural Communities with Nicole Jones
The Growing Small Towns Show
Nicole Jones is the founder of Little Red Riding Hood, Inc., and today she joins us to talk about the hidden crisis of senior transportation in rural communities. Her story shows how one human moment can spark a solution that strengthens healthcare access, local economies, and community belonging. This episode is a testimony to how one moment and one person can inspire change, and a reminder to protect those who came before us so we can be stronger, more whole communities. About Nicole: I am a 35-year-old who has made it her life's mission to help seniors in rural areas after finding a...
info_outlineOne of the most common concerns we hear from small-town leaders and residents is the idea of the “brain drain,” or the fear that young people will leave and never return. This is a very valid fear, but there is so much we can do about it! We are so excited to welcome one of our very own, Jaci Praska, who grew up in our small town of Oakes, ND, to talk to us about just how we get to keep people like her!
About Jaci:
I attend the University of North Dakota, where I am double-majoring in Accounting and Public Affairs. While attending UND, I also work as a Peer Mentor in the Nistler College of Business Pancratz Center and serve as Vice-President of the UND Sales team, traveling nationwide to compete in sales competitions while learning from industry professionals. I am also a member of UND’s Women in Business Club and Marketing Club.
I grew up in Oakes, ND, working in my family’s local hardware store, where I have seen firsthand the power of small-town community. I have always been deeply involved in our community food pantry, where we strive to serve our community members in need.
In high school, I was honored to represent students of North Dakota as a North Dakota High School Activities Association Distinguished Student and on the North Dakota Association of Student Councils State Board as the Class B representative. I was also involved in volleyball, basketball, track, choir, FFA, Honor Society, and Student Ambassadors giving me the true “Class B” experience!
In this episode, we cover:
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The tension young people feel between opportunities in the “big city,” and their roots at home
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How family businesses and strong community shape future leaders
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Breaking the stigma around “coming back” to your hometown.
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Myths and realities about Gen Z in the workplace, especially around work ethic.
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The importance of celebrating returners and reframing the narrative about North Dakota.
Links + Resources Mentioned:
Praska Hardware Facebook: facebook.com/praskashardwarehank
Sponsor Spotlight: Brodie Mueller and The Market on the Plaza
In small towns, coffee is more than caffeine. It’s community! Market on the Plaza roasts beans locally in Aberdeen, in small batches for the freshest, richest cup to start your day or for an afternoon pick-me-up. Stop in to grab a bag for home or linger over a cup with neighbors. Proudly local, always welcoming.
This week’s Small-Town Shout-Out is:
Fort Pierre, SD! Sunny shared the things that make Fort Pierre fantastic: the people, their history, the rodeos, and their new Missouri River Bridge. Sounds like we all need to make a trip to Fort Pierre and experience all that awesomeness for ourselves! Way to go, Fort Pierre.
We Want to Hear From You!
Some of the best parts about radio shows and podcasts are listener call-ins, so we’ve decided to make those a part of the Growing Small Towns Podcast. We really, really want to hear from you! We’re have two “participation dance” elements of the show:
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“Small town humblebrags”: Call in and tell us about something amazing you did in your small town so we can celebrate with you. No win is too small—we want to hear it all, and we will be excessively enthusiastic about whatever it is! You can call in for your friends, too, because giving shout-outs is one of our favorite things.
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“Solving Your Small-Town People Challenges”: Have a tough issue in your community? We want to help. Call in and tell us about your problem, and we’ll solve it on an episode of the podcast. Want to remain anonymous? Totally cool, we can be all secretive and stuff. We’re suave like that.
If you’ve got a humblebrag or a tricky people problem, call 701-203-3337 and leave a message with the deets. We really can’t wait to hear from you!
Get In Touch
Have an idea for a future episode/guest, have feedback or a question, or just want to chat? Email us at hello@growingsmalltowns.org
Subscribe + Review
Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Growing Small Towns Show! If the information in our conversations and interviews has helped you in your small town, head out to Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify, subscribe to the show, and leave us an honest review. Your reviews and feedback will not only help us continue to deliver relevant, helpful content, but it will also help us reach even more small-town trailblazers just like you!