April 24, 2018
Reflections from PILD
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was arguably one of the most profound and transformational leaders in our nation’s history. If you have visited the FDR memorial in DC, you have had the privilege to walk among some of his most inspiring and memorable words – not the least of which is pictured above. Although this quote is situated next to his ‘better seven-eights’, as Gregg Hadley would say, these words were actually spoken during his address to Congress following the Yalta Conference in 1945. Seventy-three years later, these words spoke volumes to me, not because we are tasked with combating Nazism and the peace and civilization of the world, but because we are working together, cooperatively, to enhance the well-being of individuals, families, and communities across our great state. When talking about the work of Extension, I often say that we cannot do it alone, and indeed, we cannot. But, what we can do is work together to develop partnerships and purposeful initiatives that will move us, even if ever-so-slightly, towards our mission and goals. I firmly believe that without wonderful organizations like ESP, we may not be as successful in these endeavors.
In early April, I was given the opportunity to attend to PILD – or the Public Issues Leadership Development Conference – hosted by the JCEP in Crystal City, VA. This year’s theme was “Civil Dialogue in the Public Arena.” Timely and relevant, don’t you think? Dr. Carolyn Lukensmeyer, Executive Director of the National Institute for Civil Discourse, was the keynote speaker and the title of her presentation was “Incivility and Political Dysfunction: How Did We Get Here and What Can We Do?.” She beautifully laid out just that, and challenged us all to change the script from incivility to civility, and in doing so, contribute to saving our democracy. A simple, but incredibly impactful, step we can take to improve civility, she said, is to learn more about the Civility Pledge, sign it, and adopt those practices into our own lives. To learn about the Civility Pledge, visit revivecivility.org.
Additionally, I had the opportunity to learn from other leaders in Extension across the country, participate in A Peace of My Mind, meet with National Program Leaders from USDA NIFA, and attend sessions preparing for our visits on the Hill. One of the most valuable part of this conference, though, brings me back to FDR and his idea of “cooperative effort” – and that was networking. Are there Extension professionals in our state who you have never met? I would venture to say that most of us would say, “yes!” By attending PILD, my list got a little bit shorter. Not only did I have the pleasure of meeting people from Kansas whom I had never met, but of course I met numerous others from across the country that are passionate about Extension and working together for a common cause. Some of the best networking occurred during ESP’s night out, where nearly 30 of us gathered to dine, network, and brainstorm how to make ESP even better.
Our trip culminated by visiting some VIPs on the Hill – our own Senators, Congressmen, and Congresswomen. It was an honor to represent K-State Research and Extension and help to paint the picture of the relevant and timely work we are doing in the state. I was especially impressed by our 4-H delegates, who beautifully and confidently represented KSRE’s 4-H program and the profound impact it has had on their lives.
This was one of the best conferences I have had the privilege of attending (shhh...don’t tell my other professional organizations!), and I was honored to represent the Alpha Rho Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi. Thank you for entrusting me to be a leader in our organization, and thereby giving me the opportunity to represent us at PILD. In closing, I would like for you to consider how ESP has benefited your professional career. Who have you met that you otherwise might not have? What cooperative efforts have developed with an ESP colleague? Then, share that good word with others and invite them to become members of our organization. Together, we can make a difference.