Extending Extensions Reach: Broadening Extension Through Student Training
By Kurt Smith
North Carolina State University
In a joint effort between Penn State and North Carolina State University a professional development opportunity titles ?Broadening Extension Through Student Training? is being offered on May 27-30, 2025, at Penn State University, University Park, PA. The intent of the program is to better familiarize graduate students, and potentially new faculty with the work of extension. Extension Services are a method of sharing the newest scientific information with the public from universities, improving management, and making research conducted at universities more applicable in the United States. While many Extension professionals greatly enjoy working in Extension, it is an underappreciated career option for many graduate students. Students received a certificate of participation, after they completed a logic model and develop an event, workshop, or other Extension product.
Program Highlights
- Introduction to the Land Grant Extension System
- Hands-on Extension program design and assessment
- Field tours of local Extension programs
- Networking with Extension professionals
- Capstone project and certificate of completion
Agenda Overview
- Day 1: Introduction, networking, and Extension system overview
- Day 2: Stakeholder engagement, program design, and teaching methods
- Day 3: Field tours and hands-on project work
- Day 4: Capstone project presentations and closing social
Our hope is that this program would be expanded to include methods from all participating countries, and other land grant institutions, potentially moving towards workshops in other states and other countries in 2026.
For more information contact: Calvin Norman, Melissa Kreye or Kurt Smith
