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We have talked about the value of being part of the land-grant institution on these pages in the past. One thing about that which is particularly appealing to me is the focus on learning. The notion that working together we can identify solutions and capitalize on opportunities in ways that we could not otherwise is the essence of Extension work. It is also how we grow personally and professionally.

The Department of Extension is home to several hundred of us (more on that in a future post.) Over the years, literally dozens of our colleagues have been engaged in formal degree programs while carrying out their Extension work. In addition to the desire to learn for learning’s sake, many if not most all have pursued degrees (or are currently doing so) to qualify for promotion (e.g. from A&P I to II) or career advancement (take an A&P educator or other role).

All of this learning creates a ton of knowledge, energy, and inspiration. You share it with your colleagues and your program partners. It runs through your work. It makes you better and I thank you for going above and beyond to invest in yourself. It’s what makes all of us better.

I have been involved in this work long enough to realize that we can do better. How? I am hopeful that we might leverage our investments for greater impact by learning more about your individual efforts. What degree are you pursuing? On what are you focused? What courses are you most passionate about? Will you be (or have you recently been) engaged in research?

If you are currently pursuing and/or have recently received a degree within the last three years (any and all degrees from anywhere), I’d be interested in hearing from you. Please let me know the degree(s) and institution(s). If you are thinking about a project, thesis, or dissertation topic (and/or recently completed such) please let me know the topic(s) or question(s).

So that we might help you make the most of your investment, I look forward to hearing from you (davis.1081@osu.edu).  

Last time we talked about our recent A&P Educator promotions and briefly described how applying for promotion in rank is like applying for a new job. Since that post, we’ve conducted follow-up workshops by program area to celebrate these accomplishments, talk about next steps, and get feedback on the promotion process itself. The conversations have been rich and the feedback insightful. If you joined in these conversations, thank you! If you weren’t able, we have them recorded (see links below). If you prefer a very abbreviated notes version, read on!

• Opportunity knocks - Your accomplishments as an Extension educator can be recognized via promotion in rank. The opportunity to apply for promotion in rank provides the framework for charting your professional path. Upon promotion to Educator IV, the opportunity to apply for a tenure-track faculty position is possible. And your path continues.

• Everyone is different - The professional path you take is a reflection of a variety of things which are different for every individual (e.g. area of specialization; programs created, taught, evaluated; applied scholarship and service pursuits). Your path is informed by ongoing conversations with others (e.g. your support team, peers and colleagues, etc); assessments of needs, opportunities, and concerns locally, regionally, statewide, etc; and your area(s) of interest/expertise. (Of course, there are other things that impact it as well. Who hasn’t started out on one trail and somehow gotten onto another and completely turned around in the woods?)
• Find your ideal pace - Our path and the rate at which we advance in rank depend on the above and the pace at which we want to push ourselves. See the A&P General Expectations table. Discuss in your conversations your plan of work within these dimensions (i.e. the row headings) within your current rank (i.e. column heading). Your task is to demonstrate excellence within these dimensions (i.e. the row headings) over time at a pace that recognizes the need for balance. It doesn’t make sense to miss out on the scenic views, wildlife, and opportunities to be present as you all-out sprint up the mountain, does it? The goal is to proceed at a pace that you can sustain, enabling you to travel the path to your ultimate destination.  
• Travel together – While our exact paths may not be the same, advancing in rank requires us to hike the same hill. And, like any adventure, most of us would agree that this one is typically more enjoyable with others. Value colleagues you can travel with along the way. Seek them out and welcome their invites. Coach others who may be on the path you have traveled previously. Share the neat things you have seen along the trail as well as the pitfalls to avoid. Getting better is something we do together.

Zoom Workshops

June 23 - FCS recording

June 25 - CD recording

June 29 - ANR recording

July 1 - 4-H recording

I can’t begin to count the number of conversations I have had over the past months about what we do (or did, or should do…) about work and life. As mentioned in the previous post, we have talked about so many things with regards to life/work balance, returning to offices, how we work, roles and responsibilities, etc, especially as we near what is beginning to feel like the end of this pandemic.

For many Department of Extension colleagues, we mark the beginning of another chapter in this story as transitioning to a face-to-face work environment via Extension county offices begins today. Whether you were part of a county office that had already initiated some sort of a transition or not, there is no question that re-opening will require a little bit of extra attention.

Changing our routines can be fun and exciting (think of a two-week vacation). It can also be stressful (who wants to re-live March 2020?). What some of our county-based colleagues are dealing with today is akin to family reunion. How awkward are those as you try to make your way around to get re-acquainted with everyone as people arrive? And who among us hasn’t wondered at some point “how soon can I leave?”  : )

I would prefer to think of today as the first day on the job. For some of our pandemic-era new hires, it may be just that (and for those I say thank you for hanging in there). While we are like family and this may feel like a family reunion of sorts, I would encourage you to also think about our return to ‘normal’ as a reset.

We have been blessed with so much opportunity to learn so much about ourselves, our work, about what is important. If you are a county educator, what aspects of your work are most suitable and appropriate for the county office setting? What aspects are better suited done or require you to be elsewhere? How can you improve or strengthen relationships with your office colleagues, each of them serving in a variety of critical roles? How can they better support you? How you can you better support them? It is a perfect time to ‘reset’ how you approach your work.

Every one of us plays a critical role in carrying out our mission. We have the potential to exponentially increase our abilities if we use our county office spaces as places for cultivating highly productive and collegial relationships with colleagues, stakeholders and clientele.

Welcome to your first day…how will you invest yourself?

It is hard to believe it was March 16 when we last met on these pages. My apologies to you, but higher priorities called. Well, it was largely you, and to be honest, although it has been hectic, I have enjoyed nearly every moment of it.

What am I talking about? Put simply, your path (here’s where you may want to reference a late February post focused on educator opportunities for professional growth and advancement.)

Through the faculty annual review process and A&P educator promotion reviews, I have had the chance over the past month or so to learn so much more about our educators and their professional paths. I have read about your accomplishments and your plans for the future in your own words as well as the words of your colleagues and external stakeholders. In addition, reading the written comments of your annual review letters enables me to visualize your professional growth similar to time-lapse photography. Thank you all for making the most of your opportunities to document growth and opportunities for improvement using your words.

Seeing such a broad cross-section of Extension educators, from our recently hired A&P I and II promotion candidates to our 30+ year professors, from this perspective has been a joy. It fills my heart to see among the documentation of our junior A&P colleagues peer evaluation of teaching letters authored by many of our most accomplished senior level faculty. To read about our plans for the future, especially considering everything we learned about ourselves and our work over the past year, gives me the greatest hope and confidence that we will continue to make a difference in the lives of many.

To read about you like this has strengthened my awareness of your work and your unique contributions. Many are just starting to walk their path and many others have already covered quite a bit of ground. I appreciate each of you. Remember that there is no one ideal or perfect path to make a difference; each path is as unique as each of us.

What a beautiful way to spend one’s day. I look forward to helping you create your path!