Scott Tate

Extension Specialist, Community Viability

MS, BA

Education and Degrees

Scott Tate has a BA in Communication Studies with a minor in Political Science from Virginia Tech, a MS in Human Resource Management and Labor Relations from the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech, and is pursuing his PhD in Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought from Virginia Tech. 

Work Experience

As an Extension Specialist in Community Viability for Virginia Tech, Tate serves as a community-based faculty member; linking communities, organizations, and leaders across Virginia with the knowledge and resources of the university and the Extension system.  In this work, Tate focuses on issues of community development and sustainability, entrepreneurship, and civic leadership and engagement.  Some of Tate’s recent projects include serving as an instructor and co-director of the Virginia Certified County Supervisors Program in partnership with the Virginia Association of Counties; serving as a co-founder of the Entrepreneur Express state-wide workshop series and author of the Question and Answer Guide for Starting and Growing Your Business in Virginia publication; and co-leading the Southwest Virginia Regional Conversations project, a multi-county series of focus group discussions and issues prioritization.

Research

Tate’s general research interests include community development, community entrepreneurship, place studies, civic engagement, culture studies, and community change. Particular problems of current interest deal with the dynamics of community  change and with arts, culture, and heritage as strategies for community development and sustainability.