The Excellence in Extension Awards for Individuals recognize Cooperative Extension professionals who excel at science-based programming, provides visionary leadership, and makes a positive impact on their constituents.
In 2020, Davis led a statewide Economic Recovery and Resiliency Program designed to support economic development professionals, small businesses, and communities as they rebound from COVID-19. She facilitated the distribution of nearly $1 million in grants to Kentucky businesses and communities to support their recovery from the loss of revenues resulting from COVID-19. She now leads similar efforts supporting disaster relief and recovery for businesses and communities that have been destroyed by extreme weather events.
Winner are pictured L-R:
1890s - Angela Williams, 4-H Youth Development Specialist, Alabama A&M University, was awarded for exemplary leadership, community outreach, and positive impact with underserved youth. North Central - Christian Butzke, Extension Enologist and Professor, Purdue University, was awarded for exceptional national Extension leadership serving the wine industry.
Northeast - Nila Cobb, Associate Professor, West Virginia University, was awarded for exemplary commitments to effective engagement of underserved youth and families to help them thrive.
Southern - Paul Fisher, Professor and Extension Specialist, University of Florida, was awarded for excellence in providing science-based Extension education on controlled environment horticulture.
The National Excellence in Extension Team Award recognizes excellence and leadership of an Extension team in performing the work of Extension research, technical assistance, and outreach education.
Northeast - Nila Cobb, Associate Professor, West Virginia University, was awarded for exemplary commitments to effective engagement of underserved youth and families to help them thrive.
Southern - Paul Fisher, Professor and Extension Specialist, University of Florida, was awarded for excellence in providing science-based Extension education on controlled environment horticulture.
The National Excellence in Extension Team Award recognizes excellence and leadership of an Extension team in performing the work of Extension research, technical assistance, and outreach education.
The AES NC3169 Multi-state Research Group, Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program’s (EFNEP) Related Research, Program Evaluation, and Outreach, picture above, received the brand new award. The team works to strengthen the evidence base of EFNEP, Extension’s flagship nutrition education program. The group is developing and testing critical and culturally relevant evaluation tools to assess EFNEP’s program effectiveness. Integrating the land-grant mission of Extension, research, and education, the team includes 23 university researchers, practitioners, and graduate students and represents 16 land-grant institutions. Membership reflects the diversity of expertise needed to address research needs including nutrition, physical activity, education, economics, food safety, public health, sociology, and statistics. The group engages 1862 and 1890 institutions in vital community based participatory research.
National Diversity in Extension Award recognizes significant contributions and accomplishments in achieving and sustaining diversity and pluralism.
The winner in 2022 is Latinx Agricultural Network (LAN), a Community of Practice at Pennsylvania State University that was created to address an increasing regional and national issue involving a growing underserved population, the Latinx community. LAN brings together members from across the College of Agricultural Sciences and Extension, industry, and Latinx community with the goal of ensuring Latinx operators, farmers, workers, and their families in Pennsylvania and beyond receive the best extension services that Penn State has to offer, and their needs are met using comprehensive strategies and science-based information. A multidisciplinary team of over 110 faculty, educators, administrators, students, and grassroots advisors are working hand-to-hand to assess, evaluate, adapt, and amplify future services, outreach and education efforts across disciplines spanning from plant science and farm safety to 4-H and family health and nutrition.
To learn more about nominating Extension professionals and teams, go to www.aplu.org/CESawards and watch for the release of the 2023 request for nominations.
EXCITE Design Phase Deadline Extended to November 30 - EXCITE is a nationwide local response by U.S. Cooperative Extension made possible through an interagency agreement between USDA-NIFA and the CDC. Cooperative Extension is positioned to continue to be a partner with CDC and other federal partners in adult immunization education because of the system's ability to collaborate, deliver whole-health educational programming, and is a trusted messenger to share science-based knowledge. We have extended the application deadline for the new EXCITE Design Phase opportunity to November 30, 2022 at 11:59 PM PST. All Land-grant universities are invited to participate. Learn more at this link.
