April 8, 2025
A Sense of Stability and Growth in a Changing and Challenging World
Many people are anxious and confused when they look at their world today. The stock market is volatile. Layoffs are on the way up. Established institutions, alliances, agencies, policies and practices are being questioned. Perhaps you feel anxious and confused, too.
I am not trying to convince you whether you should or should not be concerned. What I am writing about is to reflect on extension’s role in a changing world.
Whenever new policies come about, extension professionals and volunteers have been and are there to explain their implications on our stakeholders, and how to best navigate those policies.
Whenever new and unfamiliar technologies emerge, extension is there to help familiarize people with them and to provide information to help them determine if and how to best use that technology.
Whenever youth need to learn something to better prepare themselves in life, extension is there to educate them and promote better understanding in a fun and safe environment.
Whenever communities are uncertain about how to navigate a critical issue, extension is there to make sure all voices are heard and to provide research-backed information to guide them in their decision-making process.
Whenever natural or man-made disasters occur, extension is there to help people overcome those challenges and rebuild their lives, livelihoods, and communities.
Whenever a person wants to be innovative and wants to chart a new path, extension is there to help them.
Whenever people are concerned with a situation or change, extension has always been, is, and will always be there to help them. Extension offers stability and growth to people in a changing and challenging world. Extension has always offered hope and help to people as they find their own version of a better tomorrow, and we always will.
Thank you for all you do.