2020 Distinguished Service Ruby Recipient 

Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen has been selected to receive the 2020 National Ruby Award from Epsilon Sigma Phi, the national honor society for extension professionals.

The National Ruby Award is the most prestigious recognition presented by ESP and recognizes truly outstanding thinking, performance and leadership in extension. Wintersteen was nominated by Iowa State’s ESP Alpha Mu Chapter. She will receive the award in October at the 2020 National ESP (Virtual) Conference, where she also will deliver the Ruby Lecture.

“I am truly honored to have been nominated by my friends and colleagues in ISU Extension and Outreach and to be recognized at the national level by my extension peers,” Wintersteen said.

“We are pleased that President Wintersteen will be recognized with this national award. As an extension professional she has made highly significant contributions at the state, regional, national and international level over her entire career,” said Barbara Dunn Swanson, chair of the ESP Alpha Mu Chapter.

Wintersteen has served Iowa State for more than 40 years in several capacities. She began her extension career as an integrated pest management specialist in eastern Iowa. She earned her PhD while working as an extension associate, and as a faculty member led the Pesticide Safety Education Program. She served as director for Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension and associate dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. In addition, she served as endowed dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station for 11 years before being chosen as Iowa State University president in 2017.

“Through ever-increasing accomplishments and responsibilities, President Wintersteen has maintained her extension soul. She understands extension’s vital role in the land-grant mission and cares deeply for the people delivering on that promise,” Dunn Swanson said.

Contact: Barbara Dunn Swanson, Chair, ESP Alpha Mu Chapter, Iowa State University, bdswanso@iastate.edu

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ESP UCDA Affinity Group partners with 4-H Program Leaders Working Group 

Alyssa Bowers, Alpha Delta Chapter / Florida

The ESP Affinity Group recently began a partnership with the 4-H Access, Equity, and Belonging Committee (AEBC) under the 4-H Program Leaders Working Group.  Alyssa Bowers, 4-H agent in Pinellas County Florida and member of the ESP Urban and Culturally Diverse Audiences Affinity Group, attended the March 25^th AEBC meeting on behalf of ESP. 

The AEBC’s Purpose, as stated on their webpage https://access-equity-belonging.extension.org/a-homepage-section/ is “to support the 4-H System to reach its National 4-H Grows: A Promise to America’s Kids Vision. In 2025, 4-H will reflect the population demographics, vulnerable populations, diverse needs and social conditions of the country. This vision has the elements of inclusion, caring adults, serving at minimum 1 in 5 youth, and the volunteers and staff reflect the diversity of the population. This Committee aims to increase the capacity of 4-H and the Cooperative Extension System to meet this opportunity and to create a more inclusive organizational culture” (AEBC, 2020). 

In support of AEBC’s purpose, multiple Champion Groups have been created that work with specific audiences.  The groups and more info about the work for each group can be found here: https://access-equity-belonging.extension.org/about/ .  Each Champion Group is tasked with creating resources for educators in Extension to work with diverse audiences.  ESP was invited to partner with AEBC to help them promote access, equity, and belonging work in all of Extension and Extension’s Professional Organizations.  AEBC has a fantastic list of resources, such as logic models, grant opportunities, and so much more that can be found here: https://access-equity-belonging.extension.org/resources/ .  We look forward to a great partnership between ESP and the Access, Equity, and Belonging Committee! Click here to learn more about the ESP Urban and Culturally Diverse Audiences Affinity Group 

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ESP Members make connections in the Philippines
Global Relations Committee

In order to learn more about Extension abroad and make connections with program administrators, practitioners and academics in the field, 12 ESP members from four chapters traveled to the Philippines to participate in the first International Extension Professional Development program.

Twelve U.S. participants in the International Extension Professional Development Program
with hosts from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, College of Human Ecology

Sponsored by ESP’s National Global Relations Committee and hosted by Utah’s Iota Chapter, the program was coordinated by the office of Global Engagement at Utah State University in conjunction with the Office of International Linkages at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños.

While in the Philippines March 5-14, 2020, the group discussed program priorities with national Extension leaders in Manila, attended presentations by faculty who lead local, regional and national Extension initiatives, observed a cooking demonstration of traditional Filipino food, learned about rice breeding from an American researcher working at the International Rice Research Institute, networked with academics and students from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, and presented a symposium on Extension work in the United States and how it can connect to Extension work in the Philippines.

“International work is important for Extension because we learn different and sometimes better ways to deliver Extension programs,” said Justen Smith, a member of Utah’s ESP Chapter and past-president of the ESP National Board. “We live in a global society and Extension faculty participating in these experiences learn to appreciate cultural diversity and broaden their understanding of the needs of other cultures.”

Program participants, Peggy Compton, (WI), Christy Fitzpatrick (CO), and Mark Nelson and Celina Wille (UT) presented “Developing Cultural Competency: Lessons Learned from a Philippines Study Program" as part of ESPs 2020 webinar series. The recording is available from ESP's homepage (scroll to the bottom).

A comprehensive program evaluation was conducted the program evaluation summary is available for viewing.  

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Welcome to our new National Board Members

Daphne Richards, Alpha Zeta Chapter, has been elected as the 2nd Vice President of the National Epsilon Sigma Phi Board of Directors. A member of ESP since 2000, Daphne currently serves as the Southern Region Vice President and as the Chair for the National Marketing Committee. She served as the President of the Alpha Zeta Chapter as well as Chair of the Alpha Zeta Chapter Global Relations Committee. The 2nd Vice President begins a four-year appointment serving as President during their third year. Congratulations Daphne!!

The National ESP Board also welcomes two new regional vice presidents.

Both positions will serve a two-year term.

Chad Proudfoot joins the national board as the Southern Region Vice President. Chad was inducted into ESP in 2016 while working in West Virginia. During his time as a member of the Phi Chapter, Chad served as Membership Chair, Treasurer and chaired rewriting of the chapter bylaws. In 2018, Chad took a position with Virginia Cooperative Extension and transferred his membership to the Alpha Gamma Chapter where he currently serves as the Extension Specialist representative to the Executive Board.

The North Central Vice President position will be filled by Jennifer Wilson. Jennifer has been a member of the Alpha Rho Chapter since 2000 and currently serves as the Chapter President. She has served in multiple roles on the Chapter level including; President-elect, Treasurer, Annalist/Historian, Annual Recognition Banquet Committee Chair, ESP 80th Anniversary Committee Chair and ESP Endowment Board Member. On the National level, Jennifer was co-chair for the 2018 ESP National Conference.

Congratulations Jennifer and Chad!!

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