Clemson professor elected officer of international Community Development Society

Published: July 17, 2012

CLEMSON — David Lamie, a Clemson University associate professor and Extension specialist, has been elected to serve as an officer of the Community Development Society for three successive terms: vice president of operations for 2012-2013, vice president of programs for 2013-2014 and president for 2014-2015.

Lamie is a associate professor in the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences and works at the Sandhill Research and Education Center in Columbia.

“Community development has changed dramatically since the society began in the late 1960s, but the need is always there to improve housing and infrastructure, to provide access to health care and healthy food and to increase economic development in impoverished areas," Lamie said.

“The most pressing need in community development is for transparency and inclusion in the decision-making processes that impact the lives of people and their communities," he said.

Lamie said open Internet access and Internet-enabled tools let technology-literate individuals enhance community and economic development while increasing civic engagement. It's easier to share knowledge, enable feedback and organize meetings and events. 

“The creative use of these tools by community leaders, organizations and engaged citizens holds great potential to change the way community development projects are accomplished,” he said.

The Community Development Society began in the 1960s as a professional home for community development practitioners; many at land-grant universities when Extension specialists and agents in rural sociology, agricultural economics and other disciplines were developing community and economic development programs.

More than 80 percent of the society’s members practice in the United States, with the rest coming from 32 countries around the world. Members represent a variety of fields and organizations that now include education, health care, social services, government, economic development and citizen groups.

Lamie first became involved with the organization in 1989 while an Extension specialist at Purdue University. He previously served as the organization’s treasurer.

The Society publishes a peer-reviewed journal on community development, offers professional development opportunities, recognizes outstanding contributions and achievements in the profession and sponsors an annual conference.

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