President Floyd visits NW Missouri

UM President Elson Floyd made his second visit to a University Outreach and Extension center, April 2, when he greeted 40 northwest Missouri residents in Maryville. The visit coincided with the signing of a memorandum of agreement among the UM System, Northwest Missouri State University, Truman State University and Central Missouri State University to jointly offer graduate programs to northern Missouri residents.

Attending the reception at the extension center were county, regional and state extension council members; 4-H leaders and members; Hundley-Whaley research center and Graves Research Farm committee members; news media; and other friends and supporters. Traveling with President Floyd were Steve Lehmkuhle, UM vice president for academic affairs, and David Russell, UM University Relations director.

A variety of displays ringing the reception area featured NW Region outreach and extension programs: Focus on Kids, Family Nutrition Education Program, agriculture, the Seniors and Technology Project, water festivals, Midland Empire Resources for Independent Living Partnership, Character Counts and other 4-H projects. A 4-H'er also "stole the show," says Regional Director Karma Metzgar, with her collection of toy horses, which she uses for illustrated talks.

During a visit to the Nodaway County
outreach and extension center, UM
President Elson Floyd talked with
4-H member Jess Salmond of Atchison
County.

Mike Kinman, past Nodaway County council vice chair, gave an overview of extension programming in Nodaway and surrounding counties. Metzgar highlighted multistate programs with Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas, including beef, fruit and vegetable conferences; and certified crop advisor training. She said about 145,000 people annually benefit from UO/E programs in the NW Region. She said extension students are learners "from womb to tomb," learning through various formats, including in classrooms, through newsletters and via on-line resources, such as the Advanced Grain Marketing class. They seek and receive information "just-in-time" through such resources as the Healthy Parenting Tool Kit and disaster information.

President Floyd thanked the participants for the important role they play every day in bringing needed extension services to Northwest Missouri. "It is wonderful to witness your enthusiasm and the pride that you share in your communities," Floyd told the audience. "I want you to know that the University of Missouri will remain true to its land-grant mission to serve the people of Missouri."

President Floyd visited in Southeast Missouri March 7 as part of a scheduled visit with news media there, and he will participate in a UO/E Week celebration in St. Louis May 21. To facilitate communication, UO/E faculty and staff who wish to invite Floyd to events should contact Sandy Stegall.


		Eileen Yager, yagere@umsystem.edu Weekly News Editor Last modified: January 08, 2007
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