Carthage woman among those attending MU for You: County Extension Council Workshop

(From Jasper County University of Missouri Extension Office)

University of Missouri Extension council members, representing 94 counties and the city of St. Louis, gathered on the MU campus March 28-29 for “MU for You: County Extension Council Workshop.”

Among the attendees was Mary Jo Little, Carthage, a member of the Jasper County Extension Council.

The two-day workshop is designed to help council members and extension county engagement specialists learn about building effective partnerships, identifying local needs and accessing university resources.

“Meeting fellow council people from other areas of the state reassured me that my county, my council and myself, as a council member, are not alone in the frustrations and challenges we face today” said Mary Jo.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson delivered a keynote address about the state’s changing infrastructure and workforce development needs.

“The workshop gives council members across Missouri the opportunity to exchange ideas and share observations and concerns with campus-based faculty and administrators,” says Mark Stewart, MU Extension director of off-campus operations. “It also provides an opportunity for council members, in partnership with their local extension faculty, to learn more about the resources the MU campus has to offer their communities.”

Extension faculty and State Extension Council members facilitated discussions on improving the effectiveness of councils, increasing extension program participation and visibility, council training and development, and other topics.

Other sessions looked at how the University of Missouri System, MU and MU Extension engage communities across the state to tackle a variety of issues, including the opioid crisis, assistance to veterans and rural health care.

The second day of the workshop included sessions on building partnerships, transparency in council finances, inclusive decision making, and council roles and responsibilities.

In all 114 Missouri counties, extension councils comprising elected and appointed citizens help guide local MU Extension educational programming. County council members are partners in the educational process, from needs assessment through program implementation and evaluation of outcomes. For more information about Missouri’s state, regional and county extension councils, visit extension.missouri.edu/extcouncil.