There were all kinds of good news this weekend. To start off, the strategic plan annual meeting ended on time and with a sense that it was time well spent. Katherine Webb-Martinez and Jan Corlett did a tremendous job keeping us on task and on time, not to mention their ability to follow and record conversations! I left with a sense that many of the participants had next steps in mind how they were going to share the discussions and plans with their units. Unfortunately, a few of the attendees that aren't part of the regular leadership discussions had to miss the event due to the flu. Hopefully we can catch them up and get their good ideas following a speedy recovery for them.
In other good news, Georgios Vadalakis shared the student feedback from the survey course he ran this fall, PLPA240 Field Plant Pathology. Students toured farms from Riverside and north as far as Fresno (if I recall correctly) prior to the start of the semester. Then all of that information and experience was applied throughout the semester with continued ‘real life' discussions at field stations in the Riverside area. The student comments were all positive, strongly positive, with many stating that it was the best course they've had. Congratulations to Georgios and the team that contributed to such a great student experience. This gave students an opportunity to see Extension in action. Perhaps this is an approach to recruiting the next generation of Extension professionals. In speaking with Georgios before the course launched I know he felt it was a powerful course in his learning and a strong influence in setting his career path. Something to think about….
Equally exciting, was to learn that Rose Hayden-Smith will be honored as the BRAVO 2018 Education Advocate by the National Association of Women Business Owners, Ventura County Chapter. This is quite an honor and recognizes Rose's expertise, dedication, and achievements. Congratulations Rose! During my layover at O'Hare, I learned that Pramad Pandey and California Safe Soil (CSS) won the California Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA)! Congratulations to Pramad and team for not only the award but also the nice write-up about it!
It was great to see snow out the windows of my house this weekend! The air was clear and there was actually snow to see. Somehow the sight has a calming effect on me – not quite as nice as the ocean, but better than neither ocean nor snow-covered mountains. It sounds like I won't see too much snow in Michigan despite what is considered a ‘rough winter'. So far my flights to Michigan are on time. That's good news because I wouldn't want to miss my student's defense and it's such a quick trip (out on Sunday, returning Monday) that it will already be a bit tiring without having to modify travel plans. I anticipate a strong defense despite the challenges of long distance mentoring.
Keep the good news coming!