Upsilon
Chapter, Epsilon Sigma Phi
2003 EPSILON SIGMA PHI - RECOGNITION FORM
Nomination Form for: State Early Career Service Award
1. Candidate's Name: Barb Holes-Dickson
2. Candidate's Current Address:
Family Nutrition Program
NDSU Extension Service
Fargo ND
3. Education (include dates and degrees earned):
Barb received her Bachelor's of Science degree from NDSU. She has taken advantage of several professional development opportunities, and is currently taking course work for her Master's Degree.
4. Career (list, in order, employers, titles and dates):
Home Economics teacher
Department of Public Instruction (Bismarck)
(I am not sure of others)
NDSU Extension Service since May 6, 1996.
5. Organizations and Community Service:
Barb is active in organizations in her local community.
6. Accomplishments and Contributions:
Barb is totally committed and truly believes in the Family Nutrition Program. She continues to provide FNP field staff with the appropriate technical information with their work with limited resource families. Examples include but not limited to are: yearly proposal preparation (guidelines, in-kind value determination, and agency contacts), and reporting & evaluation methods.
Barb was instrumental in preparing and fine-tuning the FNP Policy Guide Book, it is useful, clear and concise, and user friendly to field staff and supervisors. She developed some of the report forms used by the FNP field staff, they also were concise, easy to fill out, and asked for relevant information to document program progress.
Barb has excellent administrative and business skills. She is very adept at pulling in resource people to fill a need in the Family Nutrition Program. She has the people skills needed to get representatives of other agencies to "buy in" and support the program.
Barb continually provides information to FNP staff that is research-based, current, and appropriate for the staff's use with the target audience. Barb's expertise as an educator is apparent in her development of FNP educational materials. She is vibrant, perceptive, interesting, and effective at reaching her audience. She relates well to the audience as she has taken the time to know them and their needs. They can identify with her because she shows that she cares about them and the outcome of their learning. She presents materials in a user friendly manner to FNP field staff. Materials are of interest, useful, and relevant to the target audience.
Barb is in touch with the professional needs and interests of the FNP field staff. Their concerns, interests, and needs for educational topics provided at in-service training drives Barb's focus and selection of what the in-service will address. Barb continually does a "reality check" with the staff to assure their buy-in for and understanding of the materials and other resources. As Barb is proficient in identifying needs of the field staff, the educational offerings reflect a variety of methods and techniques that can be used in field staff teaching. She models the behavior that field staff are to use, and positively reinforces their teaching skills and assists the field staff in enhancing their abilities as educators.
Barb is very responsive to the questions and concerns expressed by FNP field staff and supervisors. Field staff are confident that she will respond quickly, in a professional manner, and will provide well thought out and practical solutions. Field staff appreciate and trust her straight forward and thoughtful responses. Barb treats the field staff as professionals, and as individuals with value. The field staff are very comfortable in working with Barb to develop their county program as they trust her and appreciate her honesty and empathy.
Barb is respected, and appreciated by the FNP field staff and supervisors. This is achieved because she respects and appreciates the field staff and supervisors. Barb touches base to see how the staff are doing professionally and how programs are going. She checks to see that the program is still going in the right direction for North Dakota families. She is honest and straightforward, and makes all feel like she can be approached with any question or concern, and to have it dealt with tactfully, professionally, and respectfully.
Barb is very dedicated to the betterment and enhancement of professional development of FNP field staff. She has a positive outlook and take on any situation. She is strong in getting others to see the positive side of any challenge. She is a team player that lets all members know the issues, concerns, and the hows & whys of decisions. Barb is an excellent manager of her staff, she is professional, shows insight to individual personality and temperament, and is empathetic.
Barb provides the encouragement and empowerment to the field staff to continue to provide quality programs to the target audience families in North Dakota. She is very deserving of the Early Career Award of the Upsilon Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi.
Submitted by: : Sharon Kickertz-Gerbig skickert@ndsuext.nodak.edu
