Extension Update: October 2007 Archives
Over 100 county advisory council members, public officials and representatives from partnering organizations learned more about how the NH Lakes Lay Monitoring Program’s educational efforts are dedicated to preservation and sound management of New Hampshire’s lakes, streams and estuaries through citizen-based monitoring and research during the Belknap/Carroll County Conversation Friday, Oct. 26.
The event began Friday morning onboard the M/V Mount Washington where Extension Specialist/Professor Jeff Schloss talked about the water monitoring program. When the ship docked in Wolfeboro, Schloss, Bob Craycraft, educational program coordinator, and UNH students Amanda Murby and Ben Ho did some hands-on water sampling demonstrations for the group, shown in the photo below.
Following lunch at the Wolfeboro Inn, UNH President Mark Huddleston, a host for the event, talked about the importance of County Conversations. He also talked about the UNH students from Carroll and Belknap counties, students who are eager to learn as much as they can, students who are engaged in public service and helping others.
Other hosts for the event included Paul Rushlow, chair, Belknap County Advisory Council, Stephen Nedeau, chair, Belknap County Delegation, Philip "Bud" Daigneault, chair, Belknap County Commissioners, Steve Knox, chair, Carroll County Advisory Council, Betsey Patten, chair, Carroll County Delegation, and David Sorensen, chair, Carroll County Commissioners.
After lunch, the group reboarded the M/V Mount Washington to discover how UNH Cooperative Extension’s Landscaping at the Water’s Edge program works with landowners and landscapers to explain how our landscaping choices impact surface and ground waters and demonstrates how, with simple observations, ecologically-based design and low impact maintenance practices, you can protect, and even improve, the quality of our water resources. This presentation was conducted by Cathy Neal, Extension Specialist/Professor, Ornamentals, and Extension Educator, Agricultural Resources, Amy Ouellette.
The next County Conversation will take place in Sullivan County.
A team of Family and Consumer Resources Extension Educators recently received second place in the Communications Award/Written Press Releases category for the Eastern Region of the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. The team won for their column "Raising an Adult."
The column appears monthly in the Parenting NH magazine. Those receiving the award include Marilyn Sullivan, Karyn Blass, Claudia Boozer-Blasco, Nancy Bradford-Sisson, Sue Buteau, Sharon Cowen, Ann Hamilton, Gail Kennedy, Deborah Maes, Alice Mullen and Ellen Rondina.
Accepting the award for the team at the NEAFCS annual meeting in St. Paul, MN was Claudia Boozer-Blasco, shown in the photo on the right with Louise Kirkland, the Eastern Region director of the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.
UNH Cooperative Extension’s latest strategic plan calls for continued support in the form of Extension Graduate Assistantships to increase faculty and student involvement in engagement and outreach. The assistantships are also intended to promote increased collaboration between university faculty and Extension staff.
There are at least two graduate student assistantships available for the 2008 academic year. These assistantships are available to graduate students affiliated with any UNH or UNHM department/institute and will cover a graduate student stipend, tuition waiver, and graduate student health insurance coverage.
Proposals made in partnership with an academic department/institute able to cover the tuition waiver are encouraged and will be given highest consideration, in an effort to offer a greater number of assistantships each year. Proposals are due Dec. 17, with award notification by January 15, 2008.
Full details are available regarding the proposal process, requirements, and suggested format. If you have questions about the proposal process, contact Lisa Townson at 862-1031 (lisa.townson@unh.edu).
I'm pleased to announce that Hugh Christian has been appointed Assistant Director, Finance and Human Resources, effective December 3rd. As Assistant Director, Hugh will assume responsibility for oversight of Cooperative Extension's Financial and Human Resource activities.
Hugh comes to us from UNH's Office of Sponsored Research where he served for the past five years as Manager of Sponsored Programs Accounting and Financial Compliance. Hugh joins us with over 26 years of accounting, finance, staff and business management experience and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from LaSalle University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Hugh lives in Amherst, NH with his wife Debbie, his son Ryan, and their dogs, Max and Buddy.
Cheers for Peers provides a way for UNH Cooperative Extension staff to simply and immediately acknowledge the positive contributions co-workers make to each other, the work place, our clients, the organization and the University.
Recognition from co-workers for a job well done is especially valuable and can reinforce good work and build collegiality. Cheers for Peers is for all UNH Cooperative Extension staff, including support staff employed by a New Hampshire county.
To recognize someone, go to the Staff Recognition page to learn more about the award in the Supporting Documents section. Follow the instructions for Cheers for Peers listed in the Recognition Award form box. Click the award form to see what the award looks like, and while you are there, recognize one of your peers. Your recognition will be sent, by email, directly to the person you select and his or her supervisor. Once each quarter, two recipients and two nominators will be selected randomly to receive a $25 shopping spree in our "recognition store."
Our winners, chosen at random from all names accumulated in the July, August and September quarter are Holly Young for her great work at the teen conference, the State Advisory Council President's dinner and the NH Outside Calendar, and Deb Stevens for great work on the Rockingham web site. Congratulations also go to Charlotte Cross and Paula Gregory for being randomly selected from the list of those who sent a Cheers for Peers card to a colleague. Contact Holly Young for your reward.
Send a Cheers for Peers card now - there is no limit. The next drawing is after December 30.
Close to 70 guests, including state legislators and other dignitaries, joined members of our State Advisory Council Wednesday, Sept. 26, at The Common Man in Concord to listen to the new University of New Hampshire President, Mark Huddleston, and chair of the University System of New Hampshire Board of Trustees, Andrew Lietz, discuss their position, UNH’s outreach role through Extension and their vision for the future.
Also a highlight of the dinner was the presentation of a proclamation, signed by NH Speaker of the House Terie Norelli, honoring long-time 4-H Camps supporter John Saturley. State Rep. Carla Skinder of Cornish, who had requested the proclamation, presented it to John, who attended the dinner with his wife, Doris. (They are shown in the photo to the left.)
Lietz, in his opening comments, talked about how UNH Cooperative Extension helps ensure a quality of life throughout New Hampshire and how Extension “engages citizens” at all levels. He went on to say that Cooperative Extension is “cost effective’ and that “we are counting on you in the future.”
In introducing President Huddleston, Lietz told the audience “the President of UNH has to believe in the Land Grant responsibilities to outreach and advocate for public service.” He added that he found these qualities in the new UNH president, the 19th to serve in this capacity.
President Huddleston agreed, noting that it was the “sense of outreach and public service” that led him to UNH, adding that he was thankful for the opportunity that led him back “to this place where my heart is” in the public sector. (He is shown at left with former State Advisory Council member Terry Picard of Dover.)
He fielded questions from the audience, including the concern for keeping agriculture alive in New Hampshire, for recognizing the North Country of New Hampshire, and for increased funding for our 4-H camps.
Alex Ray, owner of The Common Man Restaurants, welcomed the group. Also on hand were UNH Foundation President Don Wilson, USNH Chancellor Steve Reno and USNH Trustee Merle Schotanus.
For the full version of Lietz's comments, click here.