ECOP 4-H Executive Director Announced

The ECOP 4-H Leadership Committee Co-chairs Laura Stephenson, University of Kentucky, and Lisa Bouillion Diaz, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, have announced that after a nationwide search, their committee has selected Edwin Jones, Ph.D. (pictured left) as its Executive Director. A former ECOP Chair, ECOP 4-H Leadership Committee Co-Chair, and Trustee of National 4-H Council, Ed is well suited to help support and advance the work of the Committee in this inaugural position. For 18 months he will support the Co-chairs and ECOP 4-H Leadership Committee initiatives. Through its shared leadership model, the Committee is working to develop new partnership and funding opportunities for 1862, 1890, and 1994 4-H programs alike—as well as new revenue-generating opportunities that will support Committee initiatives beyond the initial 18-month phase. Read full announcement here.



ECOP at PILD - ECOP had a high-profile role in this year’s Public Issues Leadership Development Conference. Held from April 3-6, 2022, in Arlington, VA, the theme of the conference was All Systems Go-Navigating National Identity for Local Impact. ECOP-related sessions included ECOP’s New Advocacy & Education Vision for the Cooperative Extension System; ECOP Program Committee's Program Action Team (PAT) breakout sessions; The FY 2022 Extension System Budget Request – What it Is, How to Talk About It, and Why It Matters; and a Capnote Presentation: A System Without Borders. Also at the conference, Extension Directors/Administrators participated in an ECOP Budget and Legislative (BLC) Special Breakout Session that included an introduction to the new APLU Board on Agriculture Assembly advocacy group-Lewis-Burke Associates, establishing a well-timed feedback loop to build year-round advocacy strategies ECOP Strategic Crosswalk and BLC Workplan, and an advocacy update.

Call for Nominations for APLU Food Systems Leadership Award Deadline April 29 - The APLU Food Systems Leadership Award annually recognizes a leader who has made an extraordinary impact on the food system through leadership and service and who exemplifies the core principles established by the Food Systems Leadership Institute (FSLI), including personal leadership, organizational leadership, and food systems leadership. The award also recognizes the leadership, innovation, engagement, and service that APLU promotes through its programs. The APLU Food Systems Leadership Award will be presented at “A Community of Scholars Honoring Excellence" award program at the APLU Annual Meeting in Denver in November. The recipient will be invited to address the current cohort of FSLI Fellows at one of their residential sessions. For criteria, form and the directions, click here. 

Coming June 2022 Family Well-Being - Navigating the Social Justice Landscape is an online, multidisciplinary approach, learning experience to a complex issue facing service providers working with military families. The 2022 Military Families Readiness Academy asynchronous courses focus on individuals’ understanding of social justice and equity (including their own understanding of privilege and oppression). The courses and discussions equip family service providers with the skills to identify barriers that impact a family’s health and well-being and identify opportunities for social justice advocacy in their work. Beginning June 1, the Academy addresses the intersections between engaging a social justice mindset as a family service professional and the ability to support the well-being of diverse military families. The courses offer engaging modules and interaction, with prompts for reflection on this critically important topic. The asynchronous delivery allows working professionals to benefit from the content in the courses at times convenient to their schedules. Continuing education credits available. Extension professionals are invited to learn more sign up for a mailing list at www.oneop.org/mfra for the Academy mailing list to receive additional information and announcements in the coming months.

Summer Pathways Institute for Extension, 4-H, and University Leadership Application Now Open -  The ECOP 4-H Leadership Committee is invites Extension Directors and Administrators to apply to the Summer 2022 4-H Pathways Leadership Institutes. The Institute is an intensive, two-day, virtual leadership program that will take place June 20-21 and August 3-4, 2022, with the goal of driving innovation and developing creative partnerships. Three-person teams that represent State 4-H leadership, Extension Leadership and Land-grant University leadership should apply via this link by Friday, May 6, 2022. For participating, each team will acquire tools needed to achieve the strategic change and growth for 4-H and Extension programs in alignment with the broader goals of Universities. Please review Frequently Asked Questions or contact Andy Turner at ast4@cornell.edu..