Why Not You? NCTA Entrepreneurship Students Challenged to Create Opportunity in Their Hometowns
CURTIS, Neb. — When you look at your hometown and think there is nothing to do, consider a different question: What could you do to change that?
That challenge was at the heart of Melissa Nelson’s message to students in Reagan Cavanaugh’s Entrepreneurship class at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture. Rather than waiting for someone else to open a business, organize an event or bring people together, Nelson encouraged students to see themselves as the people who can make those things happen.
“If you want cool things to happen in your small town, you have to do cool things in your small town,” Nelson told students.
A Nebraska native, University of Nebraska–Lincoln graduate, farmer and entrepreneur now living in Iowa, Nelson shared how that philosophy helped turn a simple shopping trip idea into an event supporting businesses throughout nearby rural communities.
Nelson and her friends initially imagined gathering people on buses to shop at local businesses. They recognized that the idea could reach beyond their own circle of friends, and it grew into the Rural Route Ramble, organized through their business, Meet Me on Main Street.
The event encourages shoppers to explore small towns, discover businesses and spend money locally. Participating businesses pay a fee that supports marketing, and organizers create a map and route that shoppers can follow at their own pace.
According to Nelson, participation grew from approximately 35 businesses in the first year to around 100, with the event attracting between 3,000 and 5,000 shoppers. She shared images of busy main streets and full parking spaces, illustrating what can happen when people give others a reason to visit.
The partners also bring different skills to the effort. Nelson contributes her experience in marketing and creative work, while her partners bring strengths in logistics and food service. Together, they turned an idea for something fun to do into an opportunity for local business owners to reach new customers.
For NCTA students, the example made Nelson’s message concrete: a community does not have to wait for someone from outside to bring opportunity. The people who live there can create it.
“Melissa is an incredible businesswoman with a talent for turning ideas into action,” Cavanaugh said. “I love bringing entrepreneurs like her into the classroom because they offer students a perspective that goes beyond what can be taught in a textbook. Her story is a great reminder that you don't have to live in a big city or have unlimited resources to make an impact.”
Nelson also described a tractor ride fundraiser supporting agricultural education and a beef passport project encouraging customers to visit local restaurants. Each demonstrated how entrepreneurial thinking can support agriculture, strengthen businesses and bring neighbors together.
Cavanaugh emphasized the relevance of that message after the presentation. Many students hope to return to their hometowns after graduation, and Nelson’s experiences challenged them to reconsider the familiar complaint that there is “nothing to do.” Instead, they could ask what they might organize, build or offer.
The experience connected with NCTA’s “Learn by Doing” approach by bringing practical entrepreneurial decisions into the classroom. In a follow-up reflection assignment, students were asked to identify lessons, evaluate Nelson’s approaches and consider what they found motivating. The assignment encouraged them to connect her experiences with their own ideas and goals.
The activity also supports NCTA’s Operational Strategic Initiative for Curriculum Innovation and Alignment, which emphasizes workforce-focused learning experiences that prepare students for Nebraska’s agricultural industry. Examining how entrepreneurs recognize needs, combine skills and promote businesses connects classroom concepts with the decisions students may face as business owners and community leaders.
Nelson’s challenge gave students a way to think about both their careers and their communities: if you want something to happen in your hometown, why couldn’t you be the person to get it started?
The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NCTA) in Curtis is a two-year institution within the University of Nebraska system, dedicated to developing the next generation of agricultural professionals and veterinary technicians. NCTA offers specialized programs in Animal Science, Agronomy, Ag Equipment, Agribusiness Management, Agricultural Education, Equine Industry Management, and Veterinary Technology—all grounded in a practical, career-focused approach to learning by doing.