Tagged With "the extension and research support staff"
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No Holes in the "Boat"
Gary Hamel says in his book The Future of Management , that the practice of management is to... "set & program objectives, motivate & align efforts, coordinate & control activities, develop & assign talent, gain & apply knowledge, amass & allocate resources, balance & meet stakeholders demands AND... build & nurture relationships." The companies that have survived crisis & thrived have leveraged the wisdom of all the members on their team. Companies where...
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Let’s Talk GMOs: A New Online Course from UConn CAHNR
Are you confused or do you have questions about GMOs? Do you feel inadequate when discussing GMOs? Are you given opposing information of GMOs and not sure what is right? Do you wonder how the misinformation about GMOs spreads like a wildfire? UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources is offering a new online course, Let’s Talk GMOs: Creating Consistent Communication Messages . This course introduces participants to the basics of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). They...
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ICYMI: Poetry As A Tool in Extension Programs
Last week, we were fortunate to host Dr. Hiram Larew, an award-winning poet, advocate, and leader in the Arts and Poetry community, and David Myers, an Ag Extension Agent at the University of Maryland Extension for a wonderful webinar! The purpose of their presentation was to demonstrate how poetry is being used to help deliver messages about an important agricultural issue, namely local and global hunger. They used hunger as an example to illustrate how poetry can be used when discussing a...
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Re: ICYMI: 63 Extension Professionals joined the Connect Extension Chat on Gamifying Food Labels
It was a wonderful event!
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ICYMI: How to Host Engaging Webinars
The COVID-19 crisis means that Extension professionals are using webinars even more frequently to extend knowledge and information. Creating engaging online learning experiences for our clientele and peers is critical to our success in this new virtual environment. This webinar - offered by eXtension Foundation staff in partnership with Delaware State University Cooperative Extension - provided an opportunity for participants to reinforce the basics and learn more about advanced features. In...
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Re: ICYMI: 63 Extension Professionals joined the Connect Extension Chat on Gamifying Food Labels
Resources Shared During the Chat: UConn EFNEP Fat Game: https://bit.ly/EFNEP_FatGame Healthy Lifestyle Resources (Baylor): https://www.bcm.edu/healthcare...-lifestyle-resources Water Calculator: https://www.watercalculator.org/ National Geographic Food Education: https://www.nationalgeographic...tion/food-education/ FDA Whyville Snack Shack Games: https://www.fda.gov/food/nutri...le-snack-shack-games H5P Virtual Tour: https://h5p.org/virtual-tour-360 H5P Interactive Content:...
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ICYMI: 63 Extension Professionals joined the Connect Extension Chat on Gamifying Food Labels
Our team at University of Connecticut (UConn) Extension is developing a game to help consumers understand food labels. The Connect Extension chat included questions about food labels and gamification in Extension programs. You can access the chat archive at: https://connect.extension.org/chat-event/connect-extension-virtual-chat-gamifying-food-labels . Chat participants agreed that there is confusion with labels and terms among the consumer audiences. They don't know what is healthy and what...
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Ask Extension In Transition
Ask Extension (formerly Ask an Expert) has been an important national digital service and content asset since 2006. During the peak summer season this year, over 1100 experts handled about 11,000 questions per month. This year, eXtension launched two new projects with funding from its USDA-NIFA New Technologies for Ag Extension Cooperative Agreement: Building an artificial intelligence platform that provides information from a wide range of Extension educational resources Modernizing the...
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ICYMI: Getting Ready to Tell Consumers about MyPlate and the 2020 – 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Yesterday we had a fabulous panel from the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy & Promotion talk to us about MyPlate and the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines. 500 Cooperative Extension professionals joined us and brought some great questions with them for the 30 minute Q&A portion! If you didn't get a chance to catch it, the recording is now available . Additionally, @Barbara Jirka was kind enough to provide a copy of the slides and a handout - I've attached those to this post!
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Using Data to Understand the Community You Serve
Are you or would you like to be using data in your work to understand and improve the communities you serve? Do you want to know more about about the opportunities you have to make data-driven decisions for your constituents' well-being, and to monitor your community's progress? Are you interested in sharing your experiences and needs with other Extension professionals? If so, join us for a virtual chat on Thursday, December 10, 2020, from 1pm to 2pm EST . Our team is preparing an eFieldBook...
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Five Extension Project Teams Receive Seed-Funding Grants from Impact Collaborative Summit
Twenty-five teams representing twenty-six Cooperative Extension institutions attended the first Virtual Impact Collaborative Summit on October 13th and 14th. Using technology – including Zoom and virtual whiteboards – participants were connected with tools, resources, coaches, facilitators, and Key Informants in a customized experience designed to catalyze their work. Teams were provided one-on-one coaching from twenty-six of our Impact Collaborative’s Innovation Facilitator network.
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ICYMI: Development of market assessment tools for improved sustainability and profitability of small and medium-sized U.S. dairy farms
Atlantic Corporation thanks the extension professionals who joined them to discuss findings from their national consumer attitudes and preferences survey about local dairy. We enjoyed sharing our findings and providing demonstrations of our interactive spatial visualization tool, Dairy Market Assessment and Planning System (DairyMAPS). If you missed the presentation, the recording is now available and the PowerPoint slides are attached to this post. To help Atlantic improve the value and...
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Key Takeaways: Using Data to Understand the Community You Serve
Key Takeaways: Using Data to Understand the Community You Serve Approximately thirty participants -- Extension professionals from all over the US, from Oregon to Ohio, Connecticut, and Virginia -- joined us today for a productive Connect Extension Virtual Chat on Using Data to Understand the Community You Serve. We discussed their experiences with data, their data-related needs, and and how we might best design and bring data literacy resources to Extension. You can access the chat...
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Interest in Understanding Ecosystem Service Values by Conservation Professionals in the Northeastern US
A multi-state survey was implemented in December 2018 to assess the information needs of natural resource conservation professionals regarding the value of land conservation in their community. Findings reveal that most respondents do not have the information needed to incorporate ecosystem service values into planning and decision-making. There is opportunity for extension services to deliver economic information and training that can advance the management of conserved lands. Read the full...
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2021 Impact Collaborative Events: Registration Open NOW for eXtension Members!
eXtension Foundation is pleased to announce open registration for several 2021 events in our Impact Collaborative program. This includes registrations for the Innovation Skill-Building Experience and the Impact Collaborative Innovation Facilitator Training. These events are for everyone inside eXtension Foundation member institution s . The eXtension Foundation invites all members to participate in the Impact Collaborative program to build skills in innovation, hone project & program...
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Virtual Volunteer Opportunities in Trinidad and Tobago
Greetings and Welcome to 2021! Although travel restrictions are still in effect, there are opportunities to volunteer internationally virtually through USAID’s Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) project in Trinidad and Tobago. During the COVID-19 pandemic, how we implement the F2F program has had to adjust and is temporarily offering virtual/remote assignments that will meet the needs of Trinbagonians. Over the holiday break, the Purdue F2F team has been working hard to get new assignments approved and...
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Training Videos for Connect Extension Subgroup Administrators
Happy New Year! Since we rolled out Connect Extension in March 2020, we've had a number of folks create and administer their own subgroups. I've worked with individuals one-on-one to help get subgroups off the ground and offer some training on how to do things. Now, there are some videos available that will help new subgroup administrators get quickly oriented in managing their subgroups. Those are available at extension.org/subgrouptraining . If you are interested in creating a subgroup...
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Workforce Readiness & Makerspace Team from Oregon Brings Community Partners to Impact Collaborative Summit, Wins Seed-Funding Grant for Western Region
“The Impact Collaborative provided an ideal space for the Malheur Workforce Readiness team to work through a structured process that challenged their thinking and assisted them with building a strong, informed, foundation. It equipped them with critical insights on how to best evaluate their program and the potential impact, and better communicate and engage with their partners moving forward” - Anita Azarenko, Interim Vice President - Outreach and Extension, Extension Director, Oregon State...
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Colorado State Extension Mindful Engagement Project “Ready to go in a way we wouldn’t have been”, thanks to the Impact Collaborative Summit
Mindful Engagement is a newly conceptualized project from Colorado State University (CSU), led by Sue Schneider, an Extension agent in Family and Consumer Sciences and Community Development based in Fort Collins. The team also includes CSU Extension’s Lisa Auer, who serves as the site coordinator for the Larimer County Family Leadership Training Institute (FLTI); and Tony Lynch, a community champion who is a member of the 2020 FLTI cohort. The team was one of 25 groups from across the...
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Results from the November/December 2020 Farm Journal Story Lead Contest
Last year, the eXtension Foundation launched a monthly story lead contest in partnership with Farm Journal in the Farm Journal Monthly Story Lead Contest sub group here in Connect Extension. Monthly winners, along with their Extension Directors and Administrators, have the chance to work with Farm Journal to further develop their story and have it published in Farm Journal media. The topic area for the November/December 2020 contest was about the important work Extension is doing to better...
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C.A.D.E.T.
During an assignment in Japan we had the chance to see many foreign & U.S. dignitaries. On one such visit, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force (a 4-Star General) visited. The Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force traveled with him & it's his comments I'd like to share. He began his talk by saying there are some things that keep him up at night like suicides, domestic violence and assaults. The point he made was that none of these are indications we are living in to our core values.
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Atomic Habits: An Extension Conversation About Moving Forward in the New Year
James Clear’s book, Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results , was the subject of a recent Connect Extension Virtual Chat. The hour-long interaction stimulated participants to extend Clear’s lessons into vignettes describing their personal and professional experiences with habits. The recorded chat can be found here . Atomic habits are intended to be small and easy to do-thus reinforcing their value by becoming a part of one’s identity. Multiple atomic habits can begin to influence...
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Registration Open: Let’s Talk GMOs Online Course
Are you confused or do you have questions about GMOs? Do you feel inadequate when discussing GMOs? Are you given opposing information of GMOs and not sure what is right? Do you wonder how the misinformation about GMOs spreads like a wildfire? UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources is offering a new online course, Let’s Talk GMOs: Creating Consistent Communication Messages . This course introduces participants to the basics of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). They...
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University Engagement and Democracy
Today, Longview Engagement Associates posted a new blog exploring the intersection of university-public engagement and its support of democracy. Read and reply at: American Democracy and University Engagement - Longview Engagement
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FREE Course: The Science of Well-Being
Offered by Yale University, taught by Laurie Santos , delivered by Coursera! Course Description In this course you will engage in a series of challenges designed to increase your own happiness and build more productive habits. As preparation for these tasks, Professor Laurie Santos reveals misconceptions about happiness, annoying features of the mind that lead us to think the way we do, and the research that can help us change. You will ultimately be prepared to successfully incorporate a...
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COVID-19 Vaccine Education Toolkits for Cooperative Extension
Overcoming hesitancy to receive the new COVID-19 vaccines is a growing issue across the U.S. despite more 400,000 deaths resulting from virus to date. According to a recent report published by the Kaiser Family Foundation, rural residents are among the most vaccine hesitant groups with seven in ten rural residents expressing at least some reluctance to receive the vaccine. But as trusted members of the communities they serve, Cooperative Extension faculty and staff are in a unique position...
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3 Hard Things to Say
If you like sports at all you've likely seen or read something from this person. He's the simply smart & wildly witty Woody Paige ! A while back his chalkboard had this wisdom: Yep, you guessed it, we're going to unpack these a bit! I need help. When people don't feel safe enough to admit they need others to do their work, fear is dominating. When fear is present our brains are in flight/flight/freeze mode helping us make "survival" decisions. This works against us when collaborating is...
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Cornell Extension LIVCO Project Team Finds Impact Collaborative Was “An amazing team building opportunity”
A team from Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Livingston County came together at the recent eXtension Foundation Impact Collaborative Summit. Their association is situated on a park-like campus of more than one hundred acres. They had an idea of turning their campus into a learning laboratory for the community, with demonstration gardens and more. The team was one of 25 groups from across the country that participated in the first ever virtual Impact Collaborative Summit , held in...
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Register Now: Labor Management on Small and Medium-Sized Farms Seminar Series
Highlights from recent research on labor management and decision-making on small and mid-sized produce and livestock farms across the US.
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ICYMI: An In-Depth Look at the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025
A couple of weeks ago, we had Stephenie Fu and Elizabeth Rahavi join us from the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy & Promotion to discuss the new Dietary Guidlines for Americans for 2020-2015. The U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 to reflect the current body of nutrition science. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans is the nation’s source for nutrition guidance to promote health and...
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NEW! Assistant Project Director for Immunization Education
Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching and Engagement (EXCITE) Assistant Project Director for Immunization Education Position Description This project is a collaborative effort among the Extension Committee on Policy (ECOP), eXtension, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It grew out of efforts undertaken by the ECOP Health Innovation Task Force. eXtension anticipates receiving funding for Immunization Education efforts. Key Extension leaders on this project...
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Transformational Engagement in an era of Reskilling and Economic Recovery
New blog at Longview Engagement illustrates reskilling priority. Read and respond-- Transformational Engagement in an era of Reskilling and Economic Recovery - Longview Engagement Eric Dunker, Associate for Business Strategies, Associate Vice President and Dean: Business, Technology, and Workforce Partnerships, Arapaho Community College For over 100 years, universities and community colleges have brought practical research and relevant education to their local communities and industry...
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ICYMI: Take a Tour with the MyPlate Team: Walk Through The New Personalized Digital Tools and Resources
Yesterday, we had three guests from the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion to learn about the new MyPlate website and suite of digital tools and resources that were launched upon the release of the Dietary Guidelines, 2020-2025. In this webinar, we explored the MyPlate tools to help you reach audiences at every life stage. Here are some resources from that webinar: Recording MyPlate National Nutrition Month Playbook (Attached) Slide deck (Attached) Q&A questions answered in...
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New! Extension Foundation Project Management Assistant
The Extension Foundation is seeking an individual to assist in the management of projects, project communications, management of the project database, and general support. This contract is 1 FTE and will include supporting the work of the Extension Foundation Project Management Specialist, Partnership Development Specialist, and Leadership Development Specialist. This position will assist the leadership of people, teams, and partners with communications and project management support. This...
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Make Every Bite Count, Even Little Bites!
During March, National Nutrition Month(R) we recognize the new recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.
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Questions or Complaints?
“Only self-confidence makes freedom & dissent possible. An organization that brainwashes employees to think alike will only breed complacency & make itself unappealing to anyone who might inject some oxygen into it.” – Ricardo Semler Think about a time when you were offended by a complaint. Perhaps it was a question someone posed. Did it feel like it was directed at you in a meeting in front of others? Do you remember your response? Was it appropriate for the situation? Was it...
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Daily Habit!
Several years ago I started a habit of gifting myself a few minutes every day to read, watch or listen to something about leadership. It was rough at first as I fought off thoughts of how the time could be used for other things. It's been worth it though, I've learned so much. Here are just a few sources for a daily leadership content feed... The Marshall Goldsmith Coaching app gives you the ability to hear 3 weekly thoughts directly from the #1 Executive Coach in the world. Simple &...
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1890 Extension Leadership Academy Prepares Future Leaders To Act As Change Agents, Creates Culture of Innovation
The 1890s Extension Leadership Academy (ELA) is designed to prepare future and upcoming leaders in Cooperative Extension to act as change agents, with the goal of creating a culture that encourages and sustains innovation. The academy seeks to equip leaders to respond to critical challenges proactively. The ELA is offered in collaboration with Fort Valley State University & Extension Foundation , alongside key partners from Kentucky State University and Lincoln University. The most...
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Mission, Vision, Priorities!
An Abraham Lincoln quote comes to mind, who I thought you might like to have quoted at this point.. 😉 “The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew .” Annual Message to Congress-Concluding Remarks, December 1, 1862 Developing our Mission, Vision, Priorities helps us rise with the challenges in front of us. They help us lean into, even...
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Updated County Health Rankings - Released April 1
The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute has released the annual update of its County Health Rankings featuring information on more than 30 factors which influence health. The new rankings can be accessed at https://www.countyhealthrankings.org Released every year by the UWPHI, with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Rankings show that where you live influences how well and how long you live. An easy-to-use snapshot, the Rankings compare the health of all...
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Giving Children and Adolescents a Healthy Start Through Nutrition
By LT Dennis Anderson-Villaluz, MBA, RD, LDN, FAND, Nutrition Advisor, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion , U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Establishing healthy dietary patterns early in life can provide young Americans with the foundation to continue those behaviors throughout later life stages. Unhealthy dietary patterns and inadequate physical activity in children and adolescents ages 2 to 18 contribute to overweight and obesity — as well as increasing the...
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Connecticut Agriculture is Showcased in UConn Students’ Documentary
'Completely Connecticut Agriculture' explores the creativity and resilience of Connecticut farmers It’s easy to take our food supply for granted while strolling through the abundant aisles of a grocery store. We do not often consider how our food gets to the store or where it comes from. A group of students in UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) is bridging the communication gap between agriculture and consumers in their documentary film, Completely...
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New Grant Opportunities: Innovations in Nutrition Programs and Services
New Grant Opportunities: Innovations in Nutrition Programs and Services The Administration on Aging | Administration for Community Living (ACL) has released two Innovations in Nutrition (INNU) Funding Opportunities Announcements (FOAs) to establish cooperative agreements to conduct research projects that enhance the quality, effectiveness, and outcomes of nutrition programs and services within the aging services network. Innovations in Nutrition Programs and Services – Statewide Research...
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ICYMI: CONNECTING LATINO YOUTH/FAMILIES/COMMUNITIES W/EXT RESOURCES
Contrary with what many think, Latino/x population in the US is not a monolith, far from fitting the one-size-fits-all formula, the 60 million Americans of Latino/Hispanic origin represent over 20 Latin American countries, and a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds, education levels, geographic locations, histories, political affiliations. Visit this virtual chat archive to learn what extension professionals across the country have been doing to be successful in reaching the Latino/x...
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Human Behavior & the Spread of Livestock Diseases
By Scott Merrill and Eric Clark, University of Vermont The Social Ecological Gaming and Simulation (SEGS) Lab is a multidisciplinary research lab designed to examine pressing problems in the interacting domains of natural ecology and human society. We work on problems ranging from water quality and energy, to looking at how Covid-19 related social distancing behavior changes in different environments – from the grocery store to the park. We also are engaged in trying to understand the...
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How Networks Can Help Reduce Stress
Does your network help reduce your stress? Earlier this year, we had the opportunity to talk with Naava Frank and Ziva Mann, authors of the article " How to Reduce Stress and Increase Learning: The Power of Professional Networks ." Join us as we discuss how our network connections can help support us in difficult times. Naava is the director of Knowledge Communities where she consults to foundations and nonprofits to launch and support the growth of networks and communities of practice. Ziva...
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New Connect Extension Podcast Episodes
The Extension Foundation has had the pleasure of hosting a number of outstanding individuals across Cooperative Extension for our Connect Extension podcast. The Connect Extension Podcast is available in most places podcasts are available. Here is a listing of some of our more recent episodes: Episode 16: Navigating the Grocey Store Aisle: Understanding Food Marketing Labels In this episode, we connect with Stacey Stearns from the University of Connecticut Extension on a project she is...
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CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION BEGINS FASTTRACK FARMING FOR BEGINNING FARMERS
WILBERFORCE, OH —Introducing underrepresented populations and military veterans to the opportunities in farming is the goal of the new Central State University Extension (CSUE) FastTrack Farming: A Beginning Farmer Training Program. The FastTrack Farming program is available to individuals who have never managed a farm or who have managed a farm for less than ten years, says CSUE Associate Director of Extension Dr. Siddhartha Dasgupta. “We are committed to assisting individuals who have...
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University-wide Engagement and the Transdisciplinary University
Photo by Hans-Peter Gauster on Unsplash Lou Swanson, Emeritus Vice President of Engagement, Colorado State University Scott Reed , Vice Provost Emeritus, Outreach and Engagement, Oregon State University Blah blah ‘….. disciplinary ’ - what’s the difference? Each is quintessential in their power to produce knowledge. It is not a matter of which type of academic inquiry is better than the others. But one of these, a single author writing within the narrow foci of a single sub-discipline tends...
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Re: CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION BEGINS FASTTRACK FARMING FOR BEGINNING FARMERS
Thanks for sharing this, it's great to learn more about some of your initiatives!