Epsilon
Sigma Phi Newsletter
2004 Calendar
of Events and Opportunities
Join Friends at Missouri State Fair – August 16
Nominate Colleagues for Awards – Due September 6
Wanted—Life Members to Welcome New Extension Employees
Life Members – Don’t Forget to Stay Active with ESP
Need Money for Association or Professional Meetings?
Renew By 2-22 Membership Drive Successful
Courtesy and Memorials Honor Colleagues
2003-2004
Missouri ESP Board Members
For Newsletter Items or More Information
2004 Calendar of Events and Opportunities
August
16 ESP Reunion Celebration – Missouri State Fair - Sedalia
September 6 ESP Awards Nominations Due
September 15-18 National ESP Conference – Moline, Illinois
Life Members/Retirees Programs:
September 30 Lamar
October 1 Springfield
October 13 Gallatin
October 13 Columbia
October 15 Sedalia
October 21 Jackson
President's
Message
by
Beverly Coberly, President
ESP has many wonderful activities going on this year! I hope you have been participating in these events. Be sure to read this entire newsletter as you will see the new enthusiasm for ESP in Missouri. To highlight a few of this year’s successes:
-- Increased membership through membership
drives and contests;
-- Increased visibility at Extension Annual Conference and participation at
Missouri Galaxy conference;
-- Increased number of applications for professional development funds;
-- Increased interest of ESP/retirees to assist with mentoring new staff;
(Look for information in
this newsletter from ESP Retiree Chair, Jim Ollar, and ESP
Secretary, Nancy Flood)
-- Increased opportunity for ESP networking including ESP-sponsored event at
Missouri State Fair, August 16.
As you can see, the ESP Board and Committee Chairs have been working hard to revitalize and re-energize ESP. Missouri is fortunate to have this type of leadership in ESP. This is a great time to encourage your colleagues to join ESP. Jo Turner is President-Elect, and I am sure that next year will be an exciting year under her enthusiastic leadership.
Last but not least, the National ESP Conference is in Moline, Illinois, September 15-18. It looks like a great conference. Check for information in this newsletter about shared transportation from Columbia to Moline. This transportation opportunity is just another support for members to participate with ESP.
I hope to see you at the Missouri State Fair on August 16. Be sure and encourage your fellow staff members to join ESP!
Join Friends at Missouri State Fair – August 16
by Ina Linville, Past-President
Planning to attend the 2004 Missouri State Fair? Mark your calendars for Monday, August 16! Come enjoy refreshments and fellowship of MU Extension colleagues, family and friends (active and retired) at a social event sponsored by Epsilon Sigma Phi at the VIP tent north of the Missouri Highway Patrol on State Fair Boulevard. Fun and fellowship begins at 10:00 a.m. Dr. Tom Henderson, Interim Director of Extension, will welcome the group at 11:00 a.m. Stop in and see us as you enjoy the State Fair.
Nominate
Colleagues for Awards – Due September 6
by Rebecca
Travnichek, Awards Chair
It’s time for you to nominate a colleague for an award! Giving recognition is an important function of professional organizations like Epsilon Sigma Phi. Nominations are due by September 6, 2004, so start the process now. Nominations are sought for:
-- State Certificate of Recognition
Regional Faculty (Woman)
Regional Faculty (Man)
State Specialist
-- State Friend of Extension Award
-- Distinguished Service Award
-- Mid-Career Service Award
-- State Early Career Service Award
-- State Retiree Service Award
-- State Meritorious Support Service Award
-- Team Award
-- Visionary Leadership
The ESP website includes award guidelines and a list of past award winners: http://extension.missouri.edu/esp. Contact one of the Awards Committee members, Richard Sparks, Nancy Flood, Gail Carlson, Pat Snodgrass, Tom Keohan, or Rebecca J. Travnichek (chairperson) for more information.
The Missouri Alpha Tau Chapter makes it easy for you to nominate someone. National ESP Guidelines indicate that nominations for all awards are limited to no more than two pages. In order to simplify the process at the state level, we will accept nominations that are shorter in length as long as they outline the individual’s key professional and program accomplishments and include a short statement of support. We don’t need a picture at this point either. If nominations are in categories that will go on for regional and national consideration, the committee will work with recipients to develop a more complete nomination packet.
For Team awards, don’t be shy in nominating a team of which you are a member! The team award was designed to recognize outstanding efforts of extension staff teams in responding to one or more of the national initiatives identified by the Cooperative Extension System.
I hope that many of you take this opportunity to recognize and honor your colleagues and friends. If you have questions, contact our committee.
Wanted—Life
Members to Welcome New Extension Employees
by Nancy Flood,
Secretary
(Interim Recruiting
Coordinator/New Faculty Orientation Leader, University of Missouri
Extension)
Life members, here’s a wonderful opportunity for you to help a new Extension employee! University of Missouri Extension has opened 18 new regional specialist positions and we are aggressively recruiting right now. We want these new hires to feel welcome in the communities where they will be living and working. You can help. If you are willing to be on a list of Extension “veterans” who may be contacted to welcome new Extension faculty, let me know. If the location is right, we will contact you to make a connection. Of course, if you learn of a new faculty member near you, please call to greet them and offer to introduce them around the community. As you know, strong networks are key to an Extension specialist’s success. If you would like to know what positions are open, visit our website at http://extension.missouri.edu/ and go to Career Opportunities. We appreciate your help. Contact me at: Nancy Flood, 573-882-4721, floodn@missouri.edu
Life Members – Don’t
Forget to Stay Active with ESP
by Jim
Ollar, Life Member Chair
It was good to see all who made it to Annual Conference. Those who were unable to attend can visit with anyone who attended the retiree’s session to learn of hints for improving memory (provided they can remember).
Opportunities for service/fellowship mentioned at that session included:
-- Serving as a mentor for new staff – (See Nancy Floods’
article in this newsletter) contact Nancy Flood,
573-882-4721,
floodn@missouri.edu
-- Serving on an ESP committee - contact Bev Coberly, 573-882-7477,
coberlyb@missouri.edu
-- ESP Reunion at the State Fair - Monday, Aug.16, 10:00a.m.– (See Ina
Linville’s article in this newsletter)
contact, Ina Linville, 573-882-4319,
linvillei@missouri.edu
Dates have been set for the Fall Retirees Meetings. Contact John Parker, parkerj@missouri.edu if you have questions and/or suggestions for these meetings.
Lamar.................Sept. 30
Springfield...........Oct. l
Gallatin...............Oct. 13
Columbia............Oct. 13
Sedalia...............Oct. 15
Jackson..............Oct. 21
Have a great summer! If you have questions or ideas, contact me at 573-442-3023; e-mail - jimooo@charter.net
September 15-18, 2004, Moline, Illinois
by Jo Turner, President-Elect
The annual National ESP Conference in Moline, Illinois, is a great professional development opportunity for active and life members. The “Midwest Magic on the Mississippi River” will focus on extension nationally and the changes that are occurring. The conference offers a variety of workshops that will benefit any Extension professional. For conference information, visit the national ESP website: http://espnational.org/. Early bird registration is due by July 1.
If you would like to carpool from Columbia to defray travel costs, contact me by August 23 to indicate your interest. We have a van reserved for the first 10 people. See the next article on how to apply for Professional Development funds to attend this conference.
Need Money for
Association or Professional Meetings?
by
Pat Snodgrass, Loan and Fellowship Chair
Are you planning to attend a professional association meeting? If so, consider applying for Loan and Fellowship money. The application is at the Epsilon Sigma Phi website or at http://outreach.missouri.edu/staff/awards/fellowship.htm/.
Several regional agriculture specialists have applied for these funds to attend the National NACAA meeting in Orlando, Florida, this summer. For those of you attending upcoming national association meetings, this fund can also be a resource to you. Applicants must have two years of consecutive employment for UM or LU. The total amount individuals may receive is $1,500 during their tenure. Processing can take up to two months, so don’t wait to apply.
Loan and Fellowship can also be a source of funds for college coursework expenses. A donation to the fund is also a great way to honor or memorialize a colleague. Epsilon Sigma Phi is proud of its long history in establishing, promoting and members contributing to this fund. Contact me at 573-775-2135 or e-mail at snodgrassp@missouri.edu if you have questions.
Renew By 2-22
Membership Drive Successful
by Barb
Casady, Annalist
Four lucky prize winners were selected from the ESP members that “Renewed by 2/22:”
-- Georgia Stuart-Simmons
-- David Hill
-- Betty Lorton and
-- Joe Horner
Winners were announced at the ESP booth at the MU Extension Annual Conference. We increased our membership and had fun doing it! Thanks to all who took advantage of this opportunity.
Epsilon Sigma Phi has a long tradition of providing special recognition to those who served with us. Since December 2003, the following colleagues have passed away:
-- Bill Purnell, 4-H Youth Specialist
-- Elmer R. Kiehl, Dean of the College of Agriculture
-- Bonnie Fahrenbrink, senior Accountant in Administrative Management
-- Jewel Grady, Home economist/Clothing Specialist
-- Erwin C. Null, Business and Industry Specialist
-- Ray Day, Extension Agent
-- Homer Sewell, state Extension Specialist
If you would like to contact family or friends of these deceased colleagues, contact me for details. Also, please send information regarding the death of any former colleague to:
Wilma Jean Lower. Chairman
471 Highway 32,
Fair Play, MO. 65649
Telephone: 417-654-2496
E-Mail: fwjlower@alltel.net
Thank you for helping us continue this tradition of honor and respect.