Professional Development Opportunity at Galaxy IV

Sonja Koukel, Ph.D. (NM), VP for Professional Development

The Galaxy IV conference being held in Pittsburg, PA, September 15-20, 2013 is a good time to see old friends and make new ones. It’s an opportunity to attend sessions outside your field of work and experience the diversity of Cooperative Extension.  One of my responsibilities as the VP of Professional Development is to assist with the selection of educational sessions that address emerging issues for our members.

At this conference, NEAFCS is fortunate to have the opportunity to launch the Master Family and Consumer Sciences Volunteer Program. Presenters are Beverly C. Samuel, CFCS, NIFA National Program Leader, Housing and Community Living Division of Family and Consumer Sciences, and Dr. Michael P. Vogel, Montana State University Extension Family and Consumer Program Leader.

Volunteerism has been the hallmark of Extension.  For a century throughout the U.S. volunteer consumers have worked along side FCS Extension educators to expand the outreach mission of Extension - offering educational programs, conducting demonstrations and providing organizational assistance.   Through these efforts FCS volunteers help leverage the local Extension capacity to provide access to otherwise unreached audiences.

The Master FCS Volunteer Program is a NIFA initiative to promote volunteerism within the five core FCS areas (Family Economics, Health, Housing and Environmental Health, Human Development, and Food and Nutrition) and showcase examples of successful programs in these areas.

This presentation will unveil the Master FCS Volunteer program with the comprehensive review of the three modules (Cooperative Extension, Leadership and Public Policy, and Marketing and Branding) and 12 volunteer lessons.

Save the date: Thursday, September 19, 2013, 9:00 – 11:00 AM. We hope you’ll take advantage of this professional development opportunity. See you there!