Kentucky’s population (like many other states) continues to shift to larger counties and cities. This shift brings challenges for the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. We must remain committed to our rural foundations while exploring ways to be more relevant to our urban communities. University of Kentucky Extension has engaged Michigan State University to facilitate a strategic examination of how Extension can best serve citizens living in our larger communities. Dr. Marie Ruemenapp,...

Currently in its fourth cohort, the Urban Extension Initiative Leadership Fellows program (UEI) provides professional support for Extension Agents who serve and engage within urban communities across the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Its primary focus is to enhance community engagement, professional development, advocacy, and research for urban-centered Cooperative Extension. This is the first year UEI has been offered to agents and administrators in other states, according to Dr. Jeff Young,...