October 9, 2018
Let’s Keep the Professional Development Momentum Going
Last week our Alpha Rho chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi hosted over 270 Extension professionals from across the nation at the 2018 Epsilon Sigma Phi National Conference. To say it was a well-organized, educational, invigorating, and fun conference does not do it justice. It was great! The conference participants left motivated and with many new concepts, skills, and tools that will help them better engage the people they serve.
I had many participants compliment me on the conference, and I shared with them what I will share with you now. I had nothing to do with it. Our Epsilon Sigma Phi and our other professional associations are so strong and believe so strongly in our profession and professional development, we never have to worry about a conference being a success. When one of our associations is the host, the conference will succeed and be remarkable.
I would like you to join me in extending special thanks to conference planning co-chairs Stacey Warner and Jennifer Wilson and the dozens of our contributing Epsilon Sigma Phi members for planning and putting on the conference. I also want to thank all of our K-State Research and Extension colleagues who made professional development presentations during the lightning session presentations and the many concurrent sessions. Finally, I want to congratulate two of our colleagues who earned national Epsilon Sigma Phi recognition. Chuck Otte earned a Distinguished Service Award and Elizabeth Brunscheen-Cartagena earned the Visionary Leadership Award!
This week we have several of our colleagues at the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents meeting, and the early indicators are that that conference is really going well. Of course, next week, we will have our very own Annual Conference 2018, Strengthening Our Core Competencies. Let’s keep the professional development momentum going in order to become even better Extension professionals that deliver even better Extension programs for the people we serve!