ECOP to Name Social Media Associate – Extension Directors and Administrators are asked to encourage applications for an ECOP Social Media Associate. This one-year assignment is designed to augment the national social media presence established during the Cooperative Extension centennial in 2014. Details are at http://www.aplu.org/document.doc?id=5665. The application deadline is 1.16.15.
Centennial Celebration Social Media Milestone – In 2014, the ECOP Extension Centennial Committee promoted events related to the anniversary through social media. The Facebook page www.facebook.com/Extension100Years recently passed 5,000 Likes. There were an average of 12 posts per week and a weekly average reach of close to 20,000 with several spikes of more than 100,000. The posts included vintage and contemporary imagery as well as impact stories. The most popular posts were related to farming, local foods, and 4-H. Bill Woodrum, former Extension associate administrator, led the social media effort as well as assisted with other efforts of the Centennial Committee. His report is at http://www.aplu.org/document.doc?id=5664. ECOP thanks everyone who participated in a terrific celebration and helped to position Cooperative Extension for a new century of innovative excellence.
ECOP Releases 2015 Infographic – See http://bit.ly/2015ECOP for ECOP’s new handout Extending Knowledge, Changing Lives: A New Century of Engagement. It features impact statements, a summary of what Extension does and how to learn more, and a special focus on the 125th anniversary of 1890 land-grant universities. Editing and production was provided by Louisiana State University AgCenter.
ECOP/ESCOP Chairs Visit DC Colleagues – ECOP Chair Delbert Foster, South Carolina State University, and ESCOP Chair Bob Shulstad, University of Georgia, continued joint efforts to build strategic partnerships and advance understanding about Experiment Station research and Cooperative Extension education. In mid-December 2014, Foster and Shulstad visited USDA colleagues Cathy Woteki, REE Undersecretary, and Sonny Ramaswamy, NIFA Director. Additional discussions occurred with Randy Johnson, USDA Climate Hubs Leader, and Cornerstone Government Affairs and kglobal colleagues. A separate Extension meeting occurred with USDA-FSA colleagues including the new administrator, Val Dolcini.
APLU Annual Meeting Early Bird Registration – You have until 1.19.15 to get the early bird discount for the 2015 APLU Annual Meeting November 15-17 in Indianapolis. To register, go to www.cvent.com/d/hrq7hn.
AFRI Report Released – The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) is NIFA’s premier agricultural competitive grants program. It is a tool for funding research, education, and Extension projects that bring practical solutions to societal challenges. NIFA recently released the 2012 AFRI Annual Synopsis Overview that includes the number of applications, awards, and total dollars awarded for each AFRI program by area. The synopsis also includes characteristics of AFRI peer review panelists and number of undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral jobs that were provided by AFRI awards. Several research impacts show how these grant programs continue to solve societal challenges.
