Summer 2005 ESP Newsletter; Edition Number 101
Epsilon Sigma Phi The Extension Professionals' Organization
Richard (Dick) Wootton, Director, Extension and Outreach, with the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC), has been selected to receive the 2005 National Distinguished Service Ruby Award. He will deliver the prestigious Ruby Lecture during the Ruby Luncheon on Friday, November 11th, at the 2005 Epsilon Sigma Phi National Conference in Colorado Springs, CO. His distinguished Extension career has certainly helped set a new standard for Extension programming nationwide.
The Distinguished Service Ruby Award is the highest recognition presented by Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP) and is designed to recognize truly outstanding thinking, performance and leadership in Cooperative Extension. His ESP colleagues in Maryland wrote, "Richard Wootton has demonstrated a servant leadership style built on recognizing community needs, identifying individual educator strengths, and the sharing of resources to serve new and expanding audiences. An early adopter of technology, employing effective people skills, a capacity to listen well and recognize opportunities to build are hallmarks of his accomplishments in Extension leadership in three states and now as Director of Extension and Outreach at NASULGC representing the Cooperative Extension system nationally."
Dr. Wootton started his 34-year Extension Career in 1968 as an Extension Horticulture Agent in Montgomery County, Maryland. Following the completion of his doctoral degree, he served as a Specialist at Kansas State University. Maryland Cooperative Extension provided his first experiences as an Extension administrator as the County Extension Director in the second largest county in Maryland with fourteen staff, 26 para-professionals and administrative assistants and over 500,000 residents. In 1986, he moved to Florida to become a District Extension Director for 10 south Florida counties. In 1991, Dr. Wootton became the Associate Director for Extension with Kansas State University Research and Extension. Upon his retirement in 2002, he became the Director of Extension and Outreach with NASULGC, in Washington, D.C. Dr. Wootton holds a BS, MS and PhD from the University of Maryland in Horticulture with minors in Adult Education and Administration.
Throughout his career Dr. Wootton has employed a best practices framework for all professional efforts. This includes the development of computer-based strategic planning tools, computer-based evaluation materials, Extension demographic database support, and the development of an enhanced information infrastructure system serving all offices on and off campus. Affirmative Action efforts were supported through a K-State handbook/workbook, a review process that brought proactive, constructive reviews to county offices on a four year rotation. An Extension Diversity Council was established to build support for and understanding of diversity. To support newly hired staff at Kansas State, he established a comprehensive career-long professional development process. This includes a mentor component, introductory orientation, capacity building (subject matter and process development), and retirement planning. Building leadership in current employees has included directing and supporting faculty involvement in the National Extension Leadership Development Program, the North Central Extension Leadership Program, and the Kansas 21st Century Leadership Program.
It was Dr. Wootton's vision that saw how Cooperative Extension could capitalize on a need and leverage resources to bring about change. It is this same tireless spirit and vision that has given him the conviction to work tirelessly to bring eXtension, an internet-based, customer-centered, virtual and evolving educational environment to the place it is today, soon ready to be launched to better serve new and existing customers. All of this is happening because resources were blended, strengths built on, and strategic opportunities recognized. This effort will set a new standard for Extension work nationwide, perhaps worldwide.
Dick married a Maryland 4-H Youth Development Agent and they have two married daughters, both Land-Grant graduates, and one granddaughter. Notes or letters can be sent to Dick and Karen Wootton at 1577 Inventors Court, Fort Myers, Florida 33901
The following listing of Concurrent Session Workshops at the National Conference will help you in planning your attendance. The code behind the title identifies the track that is reflected in the presentation. Additional information on the presenters and the session contents can be seen on the ESP website at: http://espnational.org/2005NationalMeeting/05concur.htm.
Thursday, November 10
2:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M.
3:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.
Friday, November 11
10:30 A.M. to 11:30 A.M.
1:30 P.M. to 2:30 P.M.
Scholarship auction items can be sent to the:
El Paso County Extension Office
c/o Ann Hall
305 South Union Blvd.
Colorado Springs, CO 80910-3123
Please send the items after November 1, 2005.
Authors will be present on Wednesday evening during the Welcome Reception to discuss their presentations. Information on the presenters and the content of the presentations can be found on the ESP Website at: http://espnational.org/2005NationalMeeting/05poster.htm.
Chapters that will be recognized for Achievement in Chapter Membership at the National Conference have been selected.
Representing the Northeast Region will be the Tau Chapter of Maryland;
Representing the Southern Region will be the Alpha Pi Chapter from Alabama;
Representing the North Central Region will be the Alpha Lambda Chapter from Indiana.
The regional winners will receive a certificate and credit for supplies from the National Office.
The National Conference will provide the delegates to the National Council Meeting with the opportunity to select a new National Second Vice President that will come from the Western Region. The Second Vice President will serve on the Executive Committee of the National Board and will rotate through the offices of Second Vice President, President Elect, President and Past President.
We are pleased to announce the candidacy of Duane P. Johnson for the position of Second Vice President. Duane has been nominated by the Gamma Chapter from the State of Oregon. The Gamma Chapter is supporting Duane's candidacy based on his outstanding leadership, team building and his organizational skills. He has had a lifelong commitment to the Extension System and to Epsilon Sigma Phi.
Duane was an effective Extension Agent, specialist and administrator during his 40 plus years in Extension. He retired from Extension in 2000, but he has remained active in Extension activities and support of ESP in the State of Oregon, in the Western Region and on the national level.
Duane was active in NAE4-HA where he served on the National Board. He has been active in service and leadership to Epsilon Sigma Phi. Locally, Duane served on numerous committees and officer positions including president of the Gamma Chapter.
On the national level, Duane has served on several national committees and from 2003 to 2004 Duane served on the National ESP Board as the Western Regional Vice President and as the Chair of the National Member Services Committee. He currently serves on the National ESP Board of Trustees.
Duane has been referred to as "Mr. ESP" because of his enthusiasm and commitment to Epsilon Sigma Phi. Duane is an excellent candidate for National Second Vice President.
Due to budget constraints, many Extension workers are receiving little or no pay increases this year. Due to budget constraints, travel support to professional meetings is being cut. Sounds bad!! Do we give up on our professional development or do we rise to the task to counteract the trend? Can we keep our profession growing?
ESP has given back over $175,000 in the last five years to members and chapters. These funds have helped members attend meetings - national ESP conferences and JCEP regional meetings - in many capacities. Your chapter has likely benefited also. Maybe you have benefited directly!
Buddy, can you spare a dime? Now is the time for members to invest in their own profession and professional organization. Can you find $25.00 per year for the next four years to make yourself be counted in the Development Fund Campaign in support of your profession? If every member would step up and donate even a few dollars, we could reach our goal! Our web site at http://espnational.org has more information and a reply form. Please respond now. Invest even a few dollars.
Renee Dotson, GA
(Participating in Georgia Extension Association of Family & Consumer Sciences Conference)
Rachelle Hollinshead, IL
(Support work on Doctorate of Public Administration)
John Preissing, WI
(Support work on Doctorate in Work, Community and Family Education)
Beth Raney, PA
(Participation in the ACE/NETC/ACT/EVP National Conference)
The 2005 ESP Professional Development Committee is pleased to announce that there will be 18 concurrent session presentations and 21 poster presentations at the 2005 ESP National Meeting in Colorado Springs. A new feature for the concurrent sessions is a program track. Interested participants will be able to follow a Program Development or Emerging Leadership Track. You can review the concurrent session abstracts and learn about the presenters on the ESP web site.
A third track has been developed for life members. Ann Hall, member of the Professional Development Committee and Chair of the Colorado Conference Planning Committee is coordinating the development of these four sessions. Titles include Vibrant Aging, Enjoy the Life of Traveling, Financial Resources in Your Retirement, and a Tour of the Broadmoor. You can learn more by visiting the ESP website at http://espnational.org. The life member track will be offered simultaneously with other concurrent sessions.
On Friday afternoon, conference participants can learn more about benefits and resources of ESP membership by choosing a workshop offered by some of the ESP National Committees or JCEP. One of the session presenters is Billy Warrick (TX), the ESP web site manager. Billy will help members learn how to navigate the ESP web site.
A special highlight of the conference will be the Poster Exhibit and Presentation on Wednesday evening, November 9, during the Welcome Reception. At this time the authors of the posters will be present to talk with conference attendees.
The conference will close with the Recognition Banquet on Saturday evening, November 12. At this time ESP will recognize outstanding Extension professionals across the nation for their commitment to professional excellence and their dedication to the Extension mission.
We hope you are planning to come and stay for all the excellent professional development opportunities! Conference registration is posted on the ESP website at http://espnational.org. Early Bird deadline is August 15, 2005!
Make your hotel reservations today! Cut-off for Conference Rate is October 7th. Reservations can be made by calling the hotel direct at 1-800-8634-7711 and identifying the ESP Conference as your group.
The National Board has been listening to your requests and is moving the 2006 ESP Conference to November 14-17, 2006. The conference will begin with Pre-Conference Tours on Tuesday and end with the Recognition Banquet on Friday night, November 17th.
The new schedule will allow you to travel home on Saturday morning and have some of the week-end with your family.
November 9-12, 2005
Colorado Springs, Colorado
November 14-17, 2006
Annapolis, Maryland
September 12-15, 2007
Charleston, South Carolina
During the 20 plus years I have been an Extension professional, I had always heard about the PILD workshop held each spring in Washington D.C. Many times I put it on my "to do" list. However, until this year it always got replaced with something that I perceived as "more important". This year I learned I had not been making the best choice. Thanks to the National Foundation of Epsilon Sigma Phi I received a travel scholarship to attend, and I will be forever grateful for the experience.
Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) is an excellent opportunity not only to network with other Extension professionals, but also to better understand the bigger picture of our organization as it relates to USDA and Congress. As a result of participating this year, I have a greater understanding of the federal funding formula and its impact on state and county programming. This year PILD held an extra bonus in that Extension volunteers from many states were in attendance.
This spring it was a pleasure to attend PILD with the Kansas delegation. One of the highlights was the fact that our Dean of Agriculture and Director of Extension, Fred Cholick, and Sue Peterson, legislative liaison for Kansas State University, were not only part of our delegation, but were also on the program helping the participants better understand the legislative process and the importance of educating the legislatures on our program impacts. It was great to see the leadership from Kansas highlighted and the support from the President's and Dean's office for K-State Research and Extension and the federal Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service.
PILD Conference Highlights
Sponsored by:
- JCEP - Joint Council of Extension Professionals
- Epsilon Sigma Phi
- National Association of Extension 4-H Agents
- National Association of County Agricultural Agents
- Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals
- National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences
For conference details, visit http://www.jcep.org
Luann Boyer, PILD Chair lboyer@coop.ext.colostate.edu
Janice Stimpson, PILD Co-Chair jstimpson@uidaho.edu
Are you interested in high quality professional development and networking with colleagues in the Extension community? Are you considering attending the ESP National Conference in Colorado Springs November 9-12th? If you are an ESP life member or retiree, then have we got a deal for you!
Epsilon Sigma Phi offers this special benefit to its life members and retiree members (who are retired from Extension for at least 2 or more years) who agree to attend the entire national conference. This benefit is in the form of a national conference registration cost-reduction scholarship available on a first-come first-serve basis to eligible conference registrants. This year, 20 cost-reduction scholarships are available in the amount of $100 each, and as of early July half are already spoken for! So don't delay and register today!! To register, visit the ESP website: http://espnational.org/2005NationalMeeting/2005Registration.doc
The National ESP Global Relations Committee is here to help you enhance your professional and personal development through experiences in foreign countries and at home. If you have an interest in international opportunities hit the Go Global button on the ESP website. Put your expertise to work by checking out the links under the International Opportunities button. You can also link to USDA's CSREES International Programs Site. With the click of a button, the International Travel Information will help you with information on obtaining insurance and immunizations you may need.
At the state level, we encourage an active Global Relations Committee. Epsilon Sigma Phi's Chapter Handbook, Section D, provides a fact sheet listing program ideas that can be carried out at the state level. A brochure is also included detailing how you as an Extension professional can become involved in Extension International Programs.
YOU can contribute to the work of the Global Relations Committee. Visit the ESP website to review the committee's 2005 Plan of Work. We are specifically looking for evaluation tools that states use to measure the impact of international work. Contact Mary Alice Gettings, Pennsylvania (mxg37@psu.edu) with resources you have to share.
New technology offers Extension educators an opportunity to reach out to diverse audiences in increasingly efficient, engaging, and dynamic ways. We all know about the Internet, email, BlackBerry type devices, blogs, online degree programs, and the overall explosion in the availability of 24/7/365 news, information, and educational opportunities. In light of these relatively rapid developments, Extension professionals need to consider instructional technology tools that can be used to deliver interactive information through a multimedia format. Are terms like e-learning and authoring software a part of your vocabulary?
Authoring tools are software programs that can be used to create interactive online electronic learning modules. They can incorporate video, sound, animation, text, graphics, and dynamic interaction. In other words, they can be used to help create a virtual classroom that allows the participant to interact with the subject matter and the instructor. Some of the common authoring tools include Flash, Authorware, ToolBook, and Director. These software programs are typically used to create computer based training courseware, educational movie clips, web sites, and other interactive programs. The software has "pre-programmed elements" so the ability to write programming code is not necessarily needed by a developer to generate programs, but it can be very helpful.
Extension is known and highly regarded for practical education via a person-to-person format. Technology, such as authoring tools and the Internet, can help Extension reach a diverse group of people with "just in time" information. Combining traditional educational delivery methods and new technology offers the potential for interesting developments in Extension education.
National Distinguished Ruby
Richard (Dick) Wootton, MD
Regional Distinguished Service
NC Margaret Bethel, MI
NE Michelle S. Rodgers, PA
SO Michael F. McKinney, FL
W Linda Tannehill, AK
Regional Mid Career
NC Christopher T. Zoller, OH
NE Lynn Fisher Little, MD
SO Jan T. Baggarly, GA
W Patricia Dawson, OR
Regional Administrative Leadership
NC David C. Petriz, IN
SO Jon F. Ort, NC
W Clint Jacks, OR
Regional Diversity Team
NC Ohio
NE New Jersey
SO Georgia
W Oregon
Regional Diversity Individual
SO Ruth Wallace, VA
W Debra Driscoll, OR
Regional Early Career
NC Angela C. Lyons, IL
NE Alayne Torretta, NJ
SO Keith S. Rucker, GA
W Kimberly Fabrizius, CO
Regional International Service
NC David O. Hansen, OH
NE Michael R. Bell, MD
SO Greg Price, GA
W Andrew F. Seidl, CO
Regional Team
NC Iowa
NE Pennsylvania
SO Kentucky
W Colorado and Oregon (tie)
Regional Continued Service
NC Pamela Jacobs, IL
SO Deborah Purvis, GA
W Duane P. Johnson, OR
Regional Visionary Leadership
NC Keith L. Smith, OH
NE Ginny Powell, NJ
SO Bonnie D. McGee, TX
W Russ Karow, OR