NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2002 Newsletter; Edition Number 90
Epsilon Sigma Phi The Cooperative Extension Professionals' Organization
As I reflect on the 2002 National ESP Conference in Lexington, Kentucky, I am filled with excitement about the future of ESP. The energy, enthusiasm, and program excellence shown by the members attending was very invigorating. Kentucky Alpha Kappa ESP really know how to show "Southern Hospitality" to the maximum. Our thanks to Bob Ohlensehlen, National Board, and Ron Catchen, Kentucky Conference Chair, and all their committees for an outstanding job of preparing the "Call to the Post: Creating Strategies for the Future" program. One of the many highlights was the over $7,000 raised at our Scholarship Auction. It was a record breaker!
We welcome our new Regional Vice Presidents and 2nd Vice President to the Board to join the returning three on the presidential track. You have elected a very competent, committed and dedicated group of individuals to give leadership to ESP at the national level. They have a head start on success due to the work of the outgoing officers. It is uplifting to see the accomplishments of the committees during the past year (see annual report) and the many ways they moved ESP forward. Our thanks to our retiring Board members for a job well done.
As all of us know, it takes many people working together to make a success. As president, I will be counting on the membership to be engaged and involved in the organization so that we can continue to have professional development opportunities that meet the needs of our members. The heart of the organization is committee work and it is an excellent way to get a "bigger picture" of the national organization's functions. Plan to respond to the committee nomination call. Since almost half of our 8,000 membership are life members, I want to encourage their active participation in ESP efforts also.
2003 will be a special year for ESP as we celebrate our 75th Anniversary. Plans are being made for celebrations at the regional meetings with a climax at Galaxy II in Salt Lake City next fall. Make plans to hold an anniversary celebration for your state chapter. Our "diamond anniversary" will only come once, let's make the most of it!
Major efforts this year will focus on our $500,000 Endowment Campaign, with Dick Angus, Maryland, giving leadership to the effort. At the 2003 Galaxy II meeting we would like to announce we have met our goal through donations and/or pledges. Help us make the Endowment a reality. Make your personal and chapter pledge today. It is a great way to give back to your professional organization.
My congratulations to all ESP chapters for a successful recruitment and for the retention of members. And a special thank you to our Executive Director, Linda Cook. She is doing an excellent job of keeping the business of the organization current. Check out the ESP website http://espnational.org for current and upcoming activities.
First of all, I would like to take an opportunity to thank those who made our annual conference in Lexington such a success. Special thanks go to the Professional Development Committee, Linda Cook, National Executive Director, and especially to all those Extension people in Kentucky who were such excellent hosts and selected a great facility and arranged wonderful tours.
I would like to extend an invitation to all Epsilon Sigma Phi members who are in leadership positions and those who are interested in becoming more involved in ESP to attend our JCEP sponsored regional workshops. In the past, these workshops were targeted primarily at chapter presidents. In recent years, the focus has changed to provide training and information to anyone who is interested in becoming a leader or improving their leadership ability.
The JCEP regional workshops will be held in the following locations:
The program for the regional meetings consists of a general session with a program for all 5 of the JCEP member organizations, followed by two half-day sessions to be used by the member organizations to conduct trainings and business.
This year, ESP will provide additional reimbursement to chapters who send their treasurer for a special treasurer's training. The chapter will receive the standard $300 travel reimbursement for chapter representatives attending the meeting. If the treasurer attends as an additional representative from the chapter, the chapter will receive an additional $200 for travel expense.
Just a reminder that in 2003 our ESP annual meeting will be the Galaxy II joint meeting of the four Extension professional organizations. We would encourage all ESP members to consider submitting a proposal to make a presentation at the Galaxy II concurrent sessions. The requirements for submitting a proposal can be found at the Joint Council of Extension Professionals website www.jcep.org or through the Epsilon Sigma Phi website http://espnational.org. Submission of the proposals is required to be done electronically. For those who might wish to submit a proposal but do not have Internet access, consider checking with your local library to gain access to submit your proposal. For more information, contact Bob Ohlensehlen, boohlens@uidaho.edu, or call (208) 734-9590.
Alberta B. Johnston-Corvallis, Oregon
When the history of the Oregon State University Extension Service is written, Alberta B. Johnston will surely play an important role. Her contributions as a volunteer will be remembered as taking a struggling state 4-H Foundation to one now regarded as one of the better 4-H foundations in the country.
Johnston accepted the challenge of serving as the volunteer executive director of the Oregon 4-H Foundation in 1990. If the foundation had paid travel and salary, her contributions as a volunteer would have equaled a gift of about $500,000 to 4-H.
Johnston works the equivalent of half time as the volunteer director. She has consistently worked to strengthen the board of trustees, to improve communication with all 4-H supporters and to build positive relationships with the Extension Service and the Oregon State University Foundation, of which the 4-H Foundation is an affiliate. During her tenure, the foundation's assets have grown to more than $4 million, with an endowment of more than $2 million.
In addition to the volunteer time, Alberta Johnston provides to Extension, she supports the OSU Extension Service financially as well. She encourages the continued high performance of our Extension educators and administrators by sponsoring the Alberta B. Johnston Award for Excellence in Education and the Alberta B. Johnston Award for Leadership. These significant cash awards are given annually to recognize outstanding Extension work.
Joseph E. Motz-Cincinnati, Ohio
Joseph E. Motz is an outstanding leader in his profession and as a supporter/promoter of the universities and colleges that make up the Land Grant System. As a 1977 graduate of the Ohio State University, he returned to his home community to stay active in the "green industry." As head of The Motz Group, he is now recognized as an international leader in the sports field industry.
Not only has he been a successful businessman in his industry, he has been highly successful in challenging universities to be responsive to the needs of the sports turf industry needs. He has identified needs, but also challenged the turf industry to help provide financial assistance so the universities could do research on the needs of the turf industry.
At a young age, Motz recognized the need for lay people to assist with the public funding process for agricultural research and Extension programs. He has been highly involved in the work with state and federal legislators since 1988 when he first joined the Ohio State Extension Support Committee. His success in this effort has been recently recognized with his selection as the Chair of the Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching (CARET).
Motz appreciates and credits his local county agricultural agent and county chair as being highly important in initiating his career and his activism with the advisory and support system of the state and nation. He believes in the importance of expanding the agricultural industry and university partnerships on a national basis as a result of his success in working a successful partnership in his home state.
Arlie Scott-Murray, Kentucky
Arlie Scott has spent a lifetime serving others by providing leadership and giving faithfully to the Kentucky 4-H Program as a 4-H leader and council member. He has been an active 4-H volunteer for fifty-three years. Mr. Scott has patiently guided and directed the youth as they set goals and work to reach their potential. He has served as an example and mentor to youth and leaders at the county, area and state levels.
Scott has touched the lives of many people. His life has been centered on the family, church, community and civic concerns. A lifetime of service to God, country and others is the way he has lived his life. He is a true friend to the Cooperative Extension Service and to the Kentucky 4-H Program. He has held every office on the county and area levels and has served numerous times as a delegate to the state 4-H leader's council and the State Extension Council. He has been instrumental in defining policy that provided direction for state and national initiatives. He willingly gives countless hours to the program and provides direction and counsel to other leaders and agents. He is a wise and willing worker of the 4-H program. He believes in youth and has seen the evidence of how the 4-H program transforms and molds youth by making the best better.
Preparing for a media interview? Planning to update legislators on the impact of your Extension programming? You might want to check out a new communication tool now available on the ESP web site at http://espnational.org/impact02.htm.
The Public Issues Committee has added information on developing a visual communication tool called a "message map." Created by two St. Louis media consultants, a message map helps tell an organization's story more effectively to the media and other stakeholders. The message map concept uses a "home base" that serves as your single most important communication objective. "Positive points" and "proof points" help to support the main message.
A newly revised "Communication Tools and Resources" link at the bottom of the home page leads to information on message maps and impact statement resources. Among the new resources added to the site are links to sample message maps developed by University of Missouri Outreach and Extension, including a state map and content-specific maps for business/workforce development, agriculture/natural resources, 4-H, community development and human environmental sciences.
Although the web resources can help anyone develop targeted messages, the revised site is especially intended as an ongoing resource for Extension professionals planning to visit their legislators while attending the annual Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) Conference in Washington, D.C.
For more information, contact Roxanne Miller, ESP Public Issues Committee member, 314-615-7607, MillerRT@missouri.edu.
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How Does Your Chapter Score?
Sarah L. Anderson, University of Arkansas, Alpha Iota Chapter
Members are the lifeblood of Epsilon Sigma Phi. Recruiting new members and retaining existing members is a challenge. Complete the following checklist to find out how well your chapter is doing.
Retention: Existing Annual and Life Members:
_____ Receive personal invitation to renew from president, officer or board member
_____ State ESP meeting held each year
_____ 50% are involved in state, district, or national committee work
_____ 90% of members renew each year
Recruitment: Potential Annual and Life Members:
_____ Contacted personally by a member and encouraged to join ESP
_____ Receive membership benefits information
General:
_____ New members recognized (news releases, Extension meeting, etc.)
_____ Officers, board members and committee chairs recognized
_____ Chapter ESP Website on-line, current and linked to National ESP Website
_____ Annual campaign or event held to acquaint potential members and involve current members
_____ Chapter recruitment and retention materials displayed at state Extension meetings
_____ Initiation for new members
_____ Installation ceremony for officers
How did your chapter do? At the 2002 ESP National Conference, "A Call to the Post: Creating Strategies for the Future," we learned a lot about winning, placing or showing at our outing to Keeneland Race Track. In racing terms, we might rank the scores something like this:
10 - 13 items = You're a Winner!
9 - 6 items = You're Showing Your Stuff!
3 - 2 items = Try A Little Harder!
1 - 0 items = Time to Call for Help!
Your chapter score can provide you with insight into how good a job you are doing with membership. A check sheet may also provide ideas for new membership.
The key to retaining members is getting them involved. Consider the areas where your chapter can do better and involve your members in getting the task done. Remember it takes more than a good horse to win the race….the trainer, the owner and a whole lot of other folks feed, care for and work with the horse. So, make sure it's not just your officers who are involved.
When potential members see the membership as engaged, active and having fun, they will want to join!
Receiving an ESP mini-grant in 2001, Jan Scholl, an Extension 4-H specialist from Penn State University, documented 1,300 4-H graduate studies completed during the past 80 years. The project, conducted to support the 4-H Centennial, located studies from over 90 different institutions worldwide. Topics ranged from those relating to competition, leadership and volunteerism to such topics as economics, retention of 4-H agents and the 4-H uniform. Many studies included historical references to the 4-H program. The project has been quite challenging. "4-H" is not easily searched, as it is also a part of many chemical compounds and hormones. Also, many studies do not include "4-H" in the title.
Jan documented the title, author, degree, date, institution and the "call number," if available, in the National Agricultural Library in Beltsville, MD. She has currently received the Mary Krug grant from NAE4-HA to abstract the studies and to obtain the most expensive studies from such places as Harvard. Should you wish to check if she has information on a study you may have completed or if you have information on studies conducted that are located only within a department on campus, you can contact Jan at jscholl@psu.edu.
Jan suggests that more ESP members apply for mini-grants. "It is a great way to get a project going, obtain new skills, and make a contribution to your association and to Extension." This project led to a greater cooperation between extension and the National Agricultural Library and USAIN, the United States Agricultural Information Network.
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
Sponsored by the Joint Council of Extension Professionals: Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals, Epsilon Sigma Phi, National Association of County Agricultural Agents, National Association of Extension 4-H Agents, National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences
For information check http://www.jcep.org or contact:
Joe Schaefer, Registration Chair
P.O. Box 110230, Gainesville, FL 32611-0230
Phone: 352.846.2009
Email: jms@mail.ifas.ulf.edu
Chuck Stamper, Conference Chair
Email: cstamper@uky.edu
More and more, the public and community decision makers are looking to Extension as an informed resource for public issues education. Are you prepared to meet this challenge? Unfortunately for us, resources are limited in this area, but help is on the way!
The Public Issues Leadership Development Conference (PILD) held annually in our nation's capitol is a tremendous opportunity for all Extension educators. You don't have to be an association officer to attend. In fact, ESP is sponsoring four regional scholarships to this year's PILD Conference. The conference, scheduled for May 3-7, 2003 is open to any educator who has an interest in Public Issues Education. PILD will give you the tools to empower and engage your community in the PIE process. Deadline for applying for an ESP/PILD scholarship is January 15, 2003.
Another great resource is a new publication, Public Issues Education: Increasing Competence, Enabling Communities. This PIE gem was produced by the National Public Policy Education Committee and the Public Issues Education Competencies Task Force. The publication, now available at each of your Regional Rural Development Centers, explores the core competencies of Public Issues educators, helps you design a PIE program in your community and gives you assistance on collecting and interpreting data about issues, audiences and educational settings. The annual Public Policy Education Conference will be held in association with the 2003 Galaxy II Conference in Salt Lake City. All Galaxy attendees will have an opportunity to polish their PIE skills and participate in sessions specifically tailored for educators interested in Public Issues Education.
Your ESP Public Issues Committee urges you to get involved and informed about PIE. *Check out the National Extension Virtual Diversity Center... http://natldiversity.extension.oregonstate.edu
Having been the first time to attend this particular conference, I came with great interest and expectations. Networking with leaders in Epsilon Sigma Phi has given me a new group of individuals across the Cooperative Extension System with who I am now familiar. This provides an excellent resource on which to draw when dealing with issues of importance to Extension professionals. With the events of September 11, 2001 within site of the hotel, it was fitting to focus attention to strategies and approaches to homeland security. Understanding the roles and responsibilities of the National Guard in homeland security provided a clearer picture to the role of Extension at the state and local level in preparing our local leaders and citizens in understanding the concepts of "incident commander." Opportunities through interaction and educational support with state and local emergency management teams must be sought. Describing the Extension professional as a local friend within the community helps to differentiate the educational and informational role we can play in homeland security from the regulatory and authoritative roles of most other agencies on the state and federal level. Our educational role will help to prepare the citizen leadership to respond appropriately in issues of homeland security. Our informational roles can help direct efforts towards the appropriate agencies and organizations in such crisis incidents.
The conference provided an excellent background on policy development and on understanding political realities in creation of new laws and rules on the federal level. I though we were give an excellent background in understanding how we can make a difference in shaping policy through our work with local community leaders and political leaders. Break-out sessions provided excellent opportunity to gain insight into several current issues and the strategies being employed through partnerships, collaboratives, and alternative methods of delivering education & information and reaching the audiences most in need.
PILD Scholarship Deadline is January 15, 2003!
Membership Recruitment & Retention
Public Issues
Member Services
Professional Development
Global Relations
Resource Development & Management
Development Board of Trustees
National ESP Development Campaign
At the National ESP Conference hosted by Kentucky, plans for the $500,000 Development Campaign were announced. State chapters are encouraged to contact all active members for support as well as personal follow ups with life time members. Many chapters have already named one or more state coordinators. The national committee consists of: West - Margaret Viebrock, WA, and Richard Garrard, ID; South-Bonnie McGee and Bill Braden, TX, Linda Cook, FL, Bernadette Watts, NC, and Mark Gateley, TN; Central-Jim Lindquist, KS and Jim Hovland and Sue Buck, WI; Northeast-Dick Angus, Chair. Campaign brochures, which include a contribution/pledge form, are available from Linda Cook, Executive Director. Pledges may be made over a 5 year period but the goal is to have $500,000 committed by the time of the Galaxy II Conference in Salt Lake City in 2003. Regional Vice Presidents will be checking with each chapter president to monitor progress.
Galaxy II
September 21-25, 2003
Salt Lake City, UT
2004 National ESP Conference
September 14-19, 2004
Quad Cities, IL
2005 National ESP Conference
November 8-13, 2005
Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, CO
How can land-grant and state supported universities effectively impact the quality of life for individuals in the new millennium? What road are we taking within Extension to reach the necessary destination to thrive in this new land-grant world? Have we the appropriate map (visionary leadership)? Henry Kissinger stated it well when he said, "If you do not know where you are going, every road will get you nowhere."
As Ohio State University Extension establishes where we are and where we need to be, a number of reports have been useful in identifying goals for the new millennium, examples include the Kellogg Reports and ECOP's: A Vision for the 21st Century. Other books and articles have been written concerning the same subject matter; an example includes George McDowell's book "Land-Grant Universities and Extension." These reports, books, and articles suggest essential elements of a vision for Extension as an integral part of university-wide engagement. The Ruby lecture discussed the type of leadership that is necessary to incorporate the changes expected for land-grant institutions and the challenges of doing so. No sooner than we begin to digest one change, another comes along to continually challenge us. In fact, there are usually several changes going on simultaneously.
This is an age when our decisions are happening faster than ever and we must recognize what needs to be done and adjust to it quickly. We must take an active approach to the changes that are on the horizon for land-grant universities, not stand idly by. You will have to access my presentation on the ESP website ( http://espnational.org) to understand it when I say, "I believe we are busy getting the weeds, and we have not heeded the snake behind the tractor."
March 1st is the date to remember for all National and Regional Scholarship and Award Nominations. A summary of the opportunities is in the "Benefits Package for a Unique Experience". Guidelines for completion of applications/ nominations and detailed descriptions are available on the ESP Web Site in the Chapter Handbook under K Tab-Awards. The National/Regional Award Nomination Transmittal Form Cover Page for entries is available on page K-15. All applications require the signature and support of the chapter president.
Selection of chapter award recipients is by a peer-voting process established by each chapter. However, it is encouraged that a least the members of the chapter member services committee vote on chapter nominations and that the chapter board vote on the regional and national nominations.
Scholarships, Mini-Grants and National Friend of Extension awards are reviewed by the National Member Services Committee with approval by the National Board.
The following award applications are due on March 1:
The following scholarship applications are due on March 1:
State chapter awards have no national deadline and are sent to the National Office as recipients are selected with presentation at appropriate state event. A Chapter Order Form for state awards certificates and member certificates appear on K 16 & 17. Orders may be placed by mail, phone, FAX or E-mail with Linda Cook at the National ESP Office.
We are looking forward to receiving nominations from all chapters. Now is the time to start the process of nominations.
The 2002 Epsilon Sigma Phi National Conference in Lexington, KY, was terrific! Approximately 200 ESP members, including 15 life members, from 38 chapters gathered for professional development and fellowship. The speakers were outstanding, the trip to Keeneland was a real treat and the Alpha Kappa Chapter members and the University of Kentucky were great hosts. You can catch the spirit of the sessions by viewing the pictures on the ESP website at http://espnational.org.
Highlights from the National Conference include:
Items of Information:
Thank you for allowing me to serve you as National Executive Director for ESP. It has been two years since we started this journey. I have appreciated your support, encouragement and suggestions. Remember, this is your national office. I like to hear from you. The National Board and I send wishes for a blessed holiday season and a safe and happy new year!
Best Wishes for a Wonderful Holiday Season
and a New Year Filled with Peace and Happiness
The National ESP Board