Grad’s Series on Hometown Pride Gains National Attention

Filming "Rural by Choice"

Work is underway on season two of “Rural by Choice,” a popular documentary-style series co-created by 2003 Concordia grad Cory Hepola.

The current seven-episode YouTube series is part of a marketing campaign by Minnesota’s Otter Tail Lakes Country Association to promote the way of life offered there. Officials approached Hepola, a former resident, to help create a unique approach for a tourism video. They landed on the idea of sharing Hepola’s personal story of moving away to pursue a broadcast career and giving him the opportunity to experience some of the rural aspects he may have missed.

“There were so many things that were around me that I didn’t really take the time to understand,” Hepola said. “So this is kind of an exploration of going back home and an understanding about life — but looking at it through a different lens.”

The series has more than 200,000 views and was selected to be part of the Twin Cities Film Festival. It has been covered by a number of news outlets including Minnesota Public Radio and The Daily Yonder.

“Otter Tail County is just full of beautiful people and is a beautiful area,” Hepola said. “I'm thankful that people from around the globe are able to see this part of the world.”                            

The series follows Hepola through a day in the life of what some may first picture when thinking of a rural Minnesotan: a farmer and a fisherman. But he also explores the life of an artist in Vining, who happens to be the father of astronaut Karen Nyberg, and discovers the diverse populations in Pelican Rapids.

The biggest takeaway of the series for Hepola is that stereotypes are dangerous and not to jump to conclusions about the way someone lives.

“I think the overriding message of the series is that I may not understand someone or something, but I can now take the time to learn,” he said. “When we listen and we lead with love and lead with empathy, we have a better world around us.”

Similar to the sentiment in “Rural by Choice” that people do not need to be from a big city to accomplish their goals, Hepola says the same is true for Concordia.

“Concordia prepares you for the rest of your life, not only with the education but with life skills,” he said. “We are sending out Cobbers each and every year that are going out in different fields and influencing the affairs of the world. And you don’t have to be from Harvard. You don’t have to be from Yale. You can be from Concordia and change the world.”

“It was a perfect environment for me,” he added, “where the teachers and the community care and support you, not only during your time there but in the years after. It was like you still have cheerleaders in your corner cheering you on as you were doing good things out in the world. And that’s one thing that’s very valuable for me as a Cobber.”

Watch “Rural by Choice” here.

 

Editor’s note: In March 2022, Hepola announced his candidacy for governor of Minnesota. This interview was conducted before his announcement. Concordia does not endorse political candidates.