Canton is different from Anytown, USA, according to Coordinator of Regional Development and Sustainability Ben Dixon.  Instead of being dominated with stoplights and strip malls, Canton sports unique shops and businesses – but most important for him, it’s “the kind of close-knit community where you can get to know everyone very quickly.”

A 1998 Middlebury College graduate, Dixon was a senior grants specialist at Harvard when he started taking courses in environmental resource management, focusing on sustainable development.  When the opportunity at St. Lawrence presented itself, he looked at the programs he would be working on and knew it was a perfect fit. Those programs include the Canton Initiative, a joint University-Canton project to enhance the community through such steps as providing seed money for new businesses, and “Coming Home,” which encourages SLU alumni to settle and work in the North Country.

“I see myself acting as an ombudsman,” Dixon explains.  “My role is different for each person I interact with.  I work with people one-on-one. For those looking to move to or return to the North Country, I am able to help.”

He also coordinates the North Country Symposium, an annual one-day seminar on campus that involves more than 100 community stakeholders; he presents local initiatives and engages attendees in action/research teams representing various sectors of local economy.  “The teams meet throughout the year to work on projects that enhance the North Country,” he explains.

 “I enjoy the quality of life,” Dixon says.  “Housing is affordable, we have excellent schools, we live in a safe community with little crime, it’s a great place to raise a family or start a business, and the recreational opportunities are wide-ranging.  With all of the area colleges, we have a plethora of cultural opportunities.  This is an area where you can see your efforts have a real impact.”