September 27, 2016
Scholarship and Excellence
Reflecting back, I came across "Scholarship of Extension," a 2001 K-State Research & Extension white paper by Dr. Charlotte Shoup Olsen and Dr. David Mengel. That white paper identifies six key points in gaining excellence in Extension. Those points are 1) clarity and relevance of goals; 2) mastery of existing knowledge; 3) appropriate use of methodologies and resources; 4) effectiveness of communication; 5) significance of results; and 6) consistently ethical behavior.
I challenge each of us to have a personal plan to lead towards excellence as an Extension professional. Your personal plan of work for the coming year and the next five years, to achieve excellence, must have the careful and complete attention to all six of these points. Such attention will fulfill the 1922 guidance from TJ Talbert within "The Extension Workers Code," to "keep your eye on the big things" and "doing the things which will count."