Recognizing visionary leadership and diversity in educational programming, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) for Cooperative Extension, and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU)
announced last week the following 2023 awards to be presented in Seattle, Washington on November 12, 2023. The National Cooperative Extension Awards program is explained at
awards.extension.org.
Excellence in Extension Award for an Individual: Mary Arnold, Oregon State University - The National Award is granted to Mary Arnold, professor, developmental scientist, and 4-H youth development specialist at Oregon State University. Arnold currently serves as the Director Youth Development Research and Practice at National 4-H Council, and is principle author of the
4-H Thriving Model, a model that describes a theory of change for the impact 4-H has on young people.
Regional Awards for Excellence in Extension for an Individual: NIFA, ECOP, and APLU will also present four regional awards to individual professionals for excellence this year. The recipients are:
1890s Region: Cedric Ogden, Cooperative Extension Specialist, Fort Valley State University, for Leading innovative engagement with diverse communities and using technology to address economic and environmental challenges.
North Central Region: Elaine Johannes, State Extension Specialist – Community Health, Kansas State University, for leading innovative engagement and partnerships for community health.
Northeast Region: Jiff Martin, Extension Educator – Food Systems, University of Connecticut, for providing solid ground for an inclusive, vibrant, and sustainable agriculture industry and food supply.
Southern Region: A. Stanley Culpepper, Extension Agronomist – Weed Science, University of Georgia, for innovative research and outreach to improve weed management and pesticide stewardship practices on family farms.
Excellence in Extension Team Award: The Growing Together Multi-State Collaborative - Growing Together
bit.ly/23-EiETeam-Award is a multi-state SNAP-Ed donation garden collaborative that aims to promote healthy food access and offer nutrition and garden education for individuals who are nutrition insecure. This multi-state collaborative, including Iowa, Michigan, Montana, Indiana, Illinois, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and most recently, South Dakota, meets regularly to share resources, promising practices, and challenges, while also building relationships and connections across state lines. Each state has tailored their effort to best meet their specific programmatic and community needs.
National Extension Diversity Award: The University of Florida's “Café Latino” Project - The
Coalition of Florida Extension for Latino Communities (CAFÉ Latino) is achieving and sustaining diversity and pluralism.
CAFÉ Latino is gaining visibility in Cooperative Extension System and in other countries. Since the Spring 2018, University of Florida’s Dr. John Diaz, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, has led the development of
CAFÉ Latino in collaboration with Dr. Karla Shelnutt, Professor, Jonael Bosques-Mendez, County Extension Director, and Laura Valencia, 4-H Agent, to help increase the capacity and competency for Extension to serve the needs of Florida’s growing Latinx population.
CAFÉ Latino focuses on enhancing the access and efficacy of Extension programs.
NOMINATE by 10/18/23 - ECOP Climate PAT Convening - On January 31 and February 1, 2024, the
ECOP Climate Mitigation, Resiliency, and Adaptation PAT will convene and host a dynamic cohort of up to 70 climate leaders in Tucson, AZ. Extension Directors and Administrators are invited to submit nominations of Extension Professionals to attend! These individuals will collaborate to develop an
Extension Climate Action Plan, a blueprint that will empower Extension directors and strategic partners to harness the full potential of the Cooperative Extension System in combating the pressing challenges posed by the climate crises. Please send the nominee's name, contact information, and area of expertise to Jason Henderson at
jhender5@iastate.edu or Regan Emmons at
reganemmons@extension.org by
Wednesday, October 18, 5 PM PST. Or
use this form link to easily submit nominations.
