Resilience in Action: RLND Seminar 10 Building Vision and Leadership Legacy
Rural Leadership North Dakota (RLND) Class X came together for its final seminar in the Devils Lake region, bringing closure to an 18-month journey of growth, learning, and shared leadership. Framed by the theme From Community Engagement to Future Leadership, Seminar 10 offered a meaningful space to explore the intersection of people, place, and purpose in rural North Dakota.
Day One: Foundations of Adaptation and Infrastructure
The seminar began at CoJACK Snack & Pack, where Chace Engstrom shared her story of returning home to help her father expand their family farm into a vertically integrated snack brand. The visit introduced key themes, generational leadership, innovation, and resilience, that would echo throughout the seminar.
Later that morning, Mike Grafsgaard, City Engineer of Devils Lake, provided a candid and detailed look at the city’s flood mitigation challenges and the long-term decisions that have shaped the region. “Mike’s explanation helped me understand what happened to this community. It had a big impact on me,” one class member shared. His remarks underscored the burden and necessity of sustained leadership through decades of uncertainty.
At Camp Grafton, Lt. Col. Anna Wittrock emphasized the role of the North Dakota National Guard in emergency preparedness and public service. Her message highlighted the importance of proactive leadership and the responsibility to lead through complexity and crisis.
The day concluded with a boat tour led by Kyle Blanchfield of Woodland Resort, who shared how his family transformed their flooded farmland into a thriving tourism business. His story demonstrated how resilience and adaptability can convert disruption into opportunity. As he explained from the helm, rising lake levels did not end their story; they redefined it.
That evening, RLND alumni joined Class X for a lakeside dinner and reflection on leadership legacies, deepening connections across the RLND network. Class X closed the day with bonfire conversations, laughter, and meaningful reflection on their shared journey.
Day Two: Innovation and Local Vision
The second day opened with a tour of Jaeger Farms, Inc., where Gerald, Christie (RLND Class X), Seth, and Kolbey Jaeger shared how their family navigates succession planning, farm diversification, and community leadership. Participants explored the farmyard, visited a new calving barn, observed soybean fields and a registered Angus herd, and engaged in open conversation about generational transitions and rural entrepreneurship. The visit underscored the values of legacy, trust, and strategic evolution.
🐾 A bonus highlight of the morning was the brief attempted enrollment of Mr. Balls, the farm cat, who tried to sneak aboard the RLND bus in hopes of becoming an honorary Class X member. His application remains under review.
Next, the group traveled to the Maddock Opera House, where Rachel Markestad and Paul Backstrom shared how a small group of determined volunteers raised over $1.6 million and invested countless hours to restore a deteriorating building into a vibrant hub for arts and civic life. One class member remarked, “The Opera House project showed what a few leaders in the community were able to do with creative thinking. They kept pushing even when things got hard.” The visit served as a powerful example of how rural revitalization is often led by those willing to imagine a different future and work persistently toward it.
In the afternoon, Dr. Rachelle Vettern of NDSU Extension facilitated an interactive session on leading across generations. Through personal stories and reflective dialogue, participants explored the values and worldviews of five generations and how these shape trust, engagement, and leadership effectiveness.
The day concluded with a bus tour and dialogue on water policy and long-term planning, guided by Bruce Engelhardt of the Southwest Water Authority and former Water Development Division Director for the State Water Commission. He shared lessons from decades of water resource leadership, including the challenges of balancing technical expertise with ethical considerations and personal values.
That evening, Class X gathered for one final dinner at The Ranch, marking the transition from the RLND experience to a broader leadership journey. Informal class reflections brought moments of laughter, gratitude, and shared insight, reinforcing the relationships and growth cultivated over the past 18 months.
“I realized the complexities of the many hats rural leaders must wear,” one participant shared. “Being aware of this as I work in my community will be very helpful.”
Day Three: Intentional Leadership, and Class Legacy
The final morning centered on personal and collective reflection. During the Motto Workshop, Class X crafted: “The X Factor: Xperience, Xplore, Xpand”, a phrase that captured their shared curiosity, growth, and outward-reaching vision.
Participants then reflected on their personal growth through their own Leadership Journey Map and the crafting of personal Leadership Legacy Statements. In a culminating activity, they created a shared mural from words, symbols, and images representing their time in RLND, closing the seminar with a group photo beside their collective story.
“Spending our last seminar together and sharing reflections with everyone is a definite key takeaway,” one participant shared. “I learn so much from the class members as well as the speakers and tours.”
Another added, “This reminded me how much I want to keep learning from communities across North Dakota.”
Seminar 10 brought RLND Class X full circle, lifted by the stories of leaders who work tirelessly to serve rural North Dakota. As they prepare to graduate in Medora on November 21, Class X leaves with new tools, enduring relationships, and a renewed sense of purpose. They carry forward a legacy of courage, curiosity, and commitment, ready to continue leading, listening, and shaping the future of their communities.
Thank you to our generous sponsors:
Leader Corp Member Level ($1,000+): ND Corn Utilization Council Program Sponsors ($500+): ND Water Education Foundation Program Sponsors ($200+): ND Telephone Company, Jaeger Farms Inc., Maddock Opera House, Mothershead Ranch Program Sponsor ($100+): Lule Naas Consulting Program Sponsors ($99 and under): Dairy Queen, Devils Lake Chamber, Lake Region State College
