March 25-31 Officially Proclaimed ISU Extension and Outreach Week

DES MOINES, Iowa — Gov. Terry Branstad officially signed a proclamation on Tuesday, March 27, declaring the week of March 25-31, 2012, as Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Week. The signing took place at the governor’s office, with Vice President for ISU Extension and Outreach Cathann Kress in attendance, along with other Extension and Outreach staff members, elected county extension council members, partners and Iowa 4-H youth.

“We asked Gov. Branstad if he’d issue a proclamation to make the week official, so all Iowans know about it and also, again, to bring visibility to the work of all our volunteers, our partners, the colleges across the campus of Iowa State University and our program specialists and staff and faculty who work so hard on behalf of the citizens of Iowa,” Kress said of the signing. Surrounded by Kress, the 4-H members and others, Branstad said he was “very pleased to sign this proclamation” as he read, signed and presented it to the group.

Extension and Outreach Week is a statewide celebration and an opportunity for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach to thank partners statewide and promote educational programs. The week’s activities include events both on the Iowa State campus, as well as at the county level.

“The weeklong celebration is just one way we can say ‘thank you’ to the many volunteers, community leaders, organizations, agencies and other partners who support Extension and Outreach work in Iowa,” Kress said. “As a land-grant university, Iowa State was founded on three big ideas: to open higher education to all, to teach practical classes and to share knowledge far beyond the campus borders. ISU Extension and Outreach is dedicated to providing education that makes a difference in Iowans’ everyday lives.”

Extension and Outreach is part of an educational network supported by Iowa State University, local county governments and the United States Department of Agriculture. Every county extension district in Iowa has an elected extension council that decides how local tax dollars are spent to support ISU Extension and Outreach educational programs at the county level. ISU Extension and Outreach delivers educational opportunities through five program areas aligned with Iowa State University colleges: Agriculture and Natural Resources, Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS), Community and Economic Development, Families, and 4-H Youth Development.

Full text of proclamation
 

WHEREAS, Iowa State University, as Iowa’s land-grant university, has a three-part mission of teaching, research and extension — sharing the knowledge from the university with all the people throughout the state; and

WHEREAS, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is the outreach arm of the university and an integral part of the university’s land-grant mission; and

WHEREAS, ISU Extension and Outreach offers practical, how-to education based on powerful university research, available to any resident of Iowa; and

WHEREAS, ISU Extension and Outreach, with a presence in all 99 Iowa counties, reached about 1.8 million people in 2011, including 94,000 youth who were involved in 4-H programs; and

WHEREAS, ISU Extension and Outreach is a valuable resource to the state of Iowa, anticipating emerging issues and trends so Iowans can thrive and succeed, acting in catalytic ways to create opportunities and build relationships, and staying for the long haul to be there when needs arise;

NOW THEREFORE, I, Terry Branstad, Governor of the State of Iowa, do hereby proclaim March 25-31, 2012, as Extension and Outreach Week and urge Iowans to participate in Extension and Outreach Week activities and learn how ISU Extension and Outreach benefits the people of this state.

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[PHOTO] Governor Terry Branstad signing the ISU Extension and Outreach Week proclamation (JPG)