At the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, our work emanates from a set of core values. This morning, as I sit in my office looking out at the wide expanse of pine trees that stretch atop Petit Jean Mountain, where Winthrop Rockefeller built his home and cattle ranch, I am reminded of our value to “see the possibilities,” just as he once did in this place. “Seeing the possibilities” means that we find opportunity in challenge, growth in understanding, and room to realize our hopes through change.

Admittedly, these days it can be easy to feel overwhelmed, disconnected, and, frankly, a desire for less change while in the throes of a global pandemic. Yet, we at the Institute push on. Guided by our mission to elevate the Rockefeller Ethic, and supported by both the strength of the team we’ve built here and our relationships that run like roots beneath the Arkansas River Valley soil and beyond, we gather ourselves up each day and find the time and space to come together to see the possibilities. 

Through careful study of the former governor, we’ve learned that Winthrop cared deeply about people, especially those who showed determination and grit when faced with hardship. One might say that he was cut from the same cloth. Thus, it is no surprise that he was drawn to the largely rural state of Arkansas. Arkansans, as those of us born and raised here know, can be uniquely stubborn individuals. This is a quality, in fact, that many of us are proud of. It is also a quality that we’ll need to get through this fall and into the next, no matter what the pandemic throws our way. 

People in rural communities not only here in Arkansas, but across the entire southern region are facing some of the greatest challenges to their livelihoods in generations. Small businesses are closing, big businesses are struggling to fulfill their needs, and families are hurting. Because we recognize these facts, we are working with our partners at the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton (UACCM) and the USDA Rural Development Innovation Center to bring the second annual “Rural Workforce Development Summit: Innovation in Times of Change” to fruition. True to Winthrop’s pioneering spirit, we are planning a hybrid in-person and virtual event, so as to maximize participation and impact. 

Join us, and find out how you can become a part of Winthrop’s legacy and bring your unique strengths to bear in support of a cause he championed. 

Molly Thomason

Education & Evaluation Officermthomason@rockefellerinstitute.org(501) 727-6215

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