Provost Ed Feser joins Interim Vice Provost Anita Azarenko to share thoughts on the importance of the OSU Extension Service to Oregon State University’s mission and Strategic Plan 4.0, as well as next steps in the search for leadership of the OSU Extension Service.
Do you have additional thoughts to share on what’s important for the next leader of OSU Extension? Share your thoughts with Anita or leave a question or comment below.
I think our next leader should be curious and creative. We will need to seize new opportunities, made possible by technology.
Our next leader must understand that 4-H Youth Development has a robust research base in child and adolescent development, and support this aspect of 4-H work in the same way that other Extension programs are deeply connected to their research base. This is the mission of Extension at LGUs- to take the research to the public. Youth development work is more important than ever, and the expertise at Oregon State University is strong. 4-H must be understood first and foremost in the context of youth development. This knowledge must be the base of our practice, and our 4-H educators and faculty must be trained and supported to carry out these best practices in communities.
Mirroring Mary’s comment, our next leader must understand and advance the robust public health and human sciences research and educational connections for 4-H Youth Development and Family and Community Health, and support this aspect of these Extension programs in the same way that other Extension programs are deeply connected to their research base. Also, expanding the mental model of the Extension mission at LGUs – to extend the research to the public and bring the knowledge/experiences of communities to the academy – in order to understand and advance equitable health and well-being, economic, and environmental impacts. Extension must be understood, and resourced, in the context of the breadth of sciences and evidence-based practices underlying and integrated within and across programs and programming, especially those not historically understood in association with Extension.
Thank you Deborah! I think this has been ver overlooked in the past . We need Extension leadership to understand that there is science (good science) behind what we do in PHHS Extension).
I look forward to the day comprehensive details can be shared with all of us who are so eager to propel Extension into the heightened relevance and success it deserves. Details, in other words, on the concrete vision for Extension’s future that would certainly guide any upcoming employee search process.