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NDSU Extension Updates Name, Mission

The updated name and mission statement reflect NDSU Extension's commitment to transformational education.

The North Dakota State University Extension Service is updating its name and mission statement effective May 1. The name now is NDSU Extension.

“NDSU Extension provides locally relevant education to North Dakotans across the state, and we want to highlight our educational role,” said Chris Boerboom, NDSU Extension director. “People might ask ‘What’s Extension?’ They can easily think of Extension as extending knowledge, which is, in fact, education, but we extend that knowledge beyond the NDSU campus to the state through our network of Extension agents.

“Of course, Extension will still provide resources and services like drought reporting, but agents and specialists will continue to focus on providing programs and information that people can use to make well-informed decisions for themselves, their operations or their communities. This is truly transformational education.”

Boerboom says this focus on transformational education is communicated through Extension’s motto: Extending Knowledge. Changing Lives.

NDSU Extension’s mission statement is updated to “empower North Dakotans to improve their lives and communities through science-based education.”

“These few words say a lot,” Boerboom says. “Extension’s education has a science base. Agents and specialists rely on research and aren’t trying to sell products or ideas. They provide that education so citizens are empowered to make the decisions that are right for them. Sometimes those decisions are made by groups rather than individuals. By communities, I mean both communities of place, such as a town or area, as well as communities of practice, which are groups of people who share something in common such as stockmen or 4-H youth.”

These and additional changes are in response to a recent review of Extension by the State Board of Agricultural Research and Education (SBARE).

“SBARE also recommended a state advisory council to provide additional input and guidance to Extension’s programs, and that group already has met once,” Boerboom said.

The Citizen Advisory Council helped re-envision the core values for how Extension serves North Dakota citizens.

NDSU Extension believes:

  • In lifelong learning through transformational education
  • That all people belong and deserve respect
  • In stakeholder input to guide program development
  • In science-based, locally relevant information
  • In the value of partners and collaboration

Boerboom says these changes are aligned with other organizational changes to improve NDSU Extension’s dedication to serving North Dakotans.

“The SBARE review process provided opportunities for NDSU Extension to reassess how we can enhance the effectiveness and efficiency in serving the people of our state.”


NDSU Agriculture Communication - May 1, 2018

Source:Chris Boerboom, 701-231-8944
Editor:Becky Koch, 701-231-7875
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