November Announcements

October Announcements

From the Director

October 30, 2025

Professional Development Conference (PDC) Update

By: Steve McKinley, staff development specialist

The 2025 Purdue Extension Professional Development Conference is quickly approaching! PDC will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 3 and Friday, Dec. 5. The Wednesday programming will be held via the Microsoft Teams platform. Friday’s programming will be a combination of in-person watch parties and virtual presentations via Teams. You will find the most current schedule for PDC on the PDC website.

The PDC Committee is looking forward to joining with you for an excellent two days of professional development, networking and recognition!

The PDC Schedule lists the sessions being offered. Details on the Wednesday afternoon concurrent sessions are included in the Conference Proceedings.

Links to individual sessions on the Teams platform will be add to the Schedule and Conference Proceedings prior to Dec. 3.

Pro tip: Once you have found the links for the concurrent sessions that you wish to attend, copy those links and add them to your Outlook Calendar so they will be more accessible to you on Dec 3.

Live captions/closed captioning is available for each session in Teams. Click on the “More” tab in the Teams toolbar, then “Language and Speech” > “Show live captions”

The Program Showcase will be offered via Teams from 1-2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 3. This will be an opportunity to learn about programs and resources offered by a variety of campus-based departments. The Showcase will allow you to learn how you can partner with campus-based specialists to provide additional opportunities to your local communities.

Those who have registered to attend a Watch Party on Friday, Dec. 5 will receive separate e-mails with further details about the Watch Party you registered to attend.

Thanks to all who submitted PDC Shout-Outs! These will be shared at various times throughout both days of PDC as we recognize our outstanding colleagues and programs.

Mark Your Calendars: Giving Tuesday Is Dec. 2

Purdue Day of Giving is always a highlight of the year — and now, Purdue Extension is excited to introduce a second opportunity to celebrate generosity and community impact. This year we will officially participate in Giving Tuesday on Tuesday, Dec. 2, the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

This new, Extension-focused campaign gives each county its own unique link to share through social media, newsletters and personal outreach. Counties are encouraged to begin promoting their link ahead of Giving Tuesday, as any gifts made through these county-specific links in the days leading up to Dec. 2 will count toward the campaign totals.

Each county will receive one customized link that includes giving options for:

  • A general county fund
  • A 4-H fund
  • Additional endowment funds (for counties that have them)

Unlike Purdue Day of Giving, Giving Tuesday will not feature a live leaderboard. However, results will still be celebrated afterward — including recognition of the counties that brought in the most gifts. Importantly, 100% of contributions made through these Giving Tuesday links will stay local and directly support Purdue Extension programs.

Promotional Resources Available on the Hub

To support counties in their outreach efforts, a full Giving Tuesday promotional toolkit is available on the Hub. Counties can access graphics and materials to use in their marketing, including:

  • Purdue Extension Giving Tuesday graphics
  • Victories and Heroes graphics
  • Sample social media posts
  • County-specific Giving Tuesday link

While this year’s launch comes with a quick turnaround, Giving Tuesday will become an annual opportunity moving forward. It offers a meaningful way for communities to demonstrate their support for Purdue Extension as part of their year-end giving.

Let’s work together to make this first Giving Tuesday campaign a success for Purdue Extension!

Promotional Toolkit

Shared County Email Access

Historically, shared county emails were created by AgIT to establish a more consistent communication pathway across counties. It is important to ensure that all office members have the shared county email inbox added to their Outlook. Without adding the inbox, emails may go unopened and audiences may be unintentionally ignored.

If you or a staff member need access, you can contact the Service Desk to submit a request to have the shared mailbox added.

Please check the list within the tab to ensure that you are recieving emails from your county email.

Type your Caption here

Adams

adamsces@purdue.edu

Allen

allences@purdue.edu

Bartholomew

bartholomewces@purdue.edu

Benton

bentoces@purdue.edu

Blackford

blackfordces@purdue.edu

Boone

booneces@purdue.edu

Brown

brownces@purdue.edu

Carroll

carrollces@purdue.edu

Cass

cassces@purdue.edu

Clark

clarkces@purdue.edu

Clay

clayces@purdue.edu

Clinton

clintonces@purdue.edu

Crawford

crawfordces@purdue.edu

Daviess

daviessces@purdue.edu

Dearborn

dearbornces@purdue.edu

Decatur

decaturces@purdue.edu

Dekalb

dekalbces@purdue.edu

Delaware

delawareces@purdue.edu

Dubois

duboisces@purdue.edu

Elkhart

elkhartces@purdue.edu

Fayette

fayetteces@purdue.edu

Floyd

floydces@purdue.edu

Fountain

fountainces@purdue.edu

Franklin

franklinces@purdue.edu

Fulton

fultonces@purdue.edu

Gibson

gibsonces@purdue.edu

Grant

grantces@purdue.edu

Greene

greeneces@purdue.edu

Hamilton

hamiltonces@purdue.edu

Hancock

hancockces@purdue.edu

Harrison

harrisonces@purdue.edu

Hendricks

hendrces@purdue.edu

Henry

henryces@purdue.edu

Howard

howardces@purdue.edu

Huntington

huntingtonces@purdue.edu

Jackson

jacksonces@purdue.edu

Jasper

jasperces@purdue.edu

Jay

jayces@purdue.edu

Jennings

jennices@purdue.edu

Jefferson

jeffersonces@purdue.edu

Johnson

johnsonces@purdue.edu

Knox

knoxces@purdue.edu

Kosciusko

koscices@purdue.edu

LaGrange

lagrangeces@purdue.edu

Lake

lakeces@purdue.edu

LaPorte

laporteces@purdue.edu

Lawrence

lawrenceces@purdue.edu

Madison

madisonces@purdue.edu

Marion

marionces@purdue.edu

Marshall

marshallces@purdue.edu

Martin

martinces@purdue.edu

Miami

miamices@purdue.edu

Monroe

monroeces@purdue.edu

Montgomery

montgomeryces@purdue.edu

Morgan

morgances@purdue.edu

Newton

newtonces@purdue.edu

Noble

nobleces@purdue.edu

Ohio

ohioces@purdue.edu

Orange

orangeces@purdue.edu

Owen

owences@purdue.edu

Parke

parkeces@purdue.edu

Perry

perryces@purdue.edu

Pike

pikeces@purdue.edu

Porter

porterces@purdue.edu

Posey

poseyces@purdue.edu

Pulaski

pulaskices@purdue.edu

Putnam

putnamces@purdue.edu

Randolph

randolphces@purdue.edu

Ripley

ripleyces@purdue.edu

Rush

rushces@purdue.edu

St Joseph

stjoeces@purdue.edu

Scott

scottces@purdue.edu

Shelby

shelbyces@purdue.edu

Spencer

spencerces@purdue.edu

Starke

starkeces@purdue.edu

Steuben

steubences@purdue.edu

Sullivan

sullivances@purdue.edu

Switzerland

switzerlandces@purdue.edu

Tippecanoe

tippecanoeces@purdue.edu

Tipton

tiptonces@purdue.edu

Union

unionces@purdue.edu

Vandeburgh

vanderburghces@purdue.edu

Vermillion

vermillionces@purdue.edu

Vigo

vigoces@purdue.edu

Wabash

wabashces@purdue.edu

Warren

warrences@purdue.edu

Warrick

warrickces@purdue.edu

Washington

washingtonces@purdue.edu

Wayne

wayneces@purdue.edu

Wells

wellsces@purdue.edu

White

whiteces@purdue.edu

Whitley

whitleyces@purdue.edu

By Phone:  765-494-4000 (44000 when dialing from a campus phone)

  • The Purdue IT Service Desk is available by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week*.
By Email:  it@purdue.edu
  • The Purdue IT Service Desk is available by email 24 hours a day, 7 days a week*.

Type your Caption here

Adams

adamsces@purdue.edu

Allen

allences@purdue.edu

Bartholomew

bartholomewces@purdue.edu

Benton

bentoces@purdue.edu

Blackford

blackfordces@purdue.edu

Boone

booneces@purdue.edu

Brown

brownces@purdue.edu

Carroll

carrollces@purdue.edu

Cass

cassces@purdue.edu

Clark

clarkces@purdue.edu

Clay

clayces@purdue.edu

Clinton

clintonces@purdue.edu

Crawford

crawfordces@purdue.edu

Daviess

daviessces@purdue.edu

Dearborn

dearbornces@purdue.edu

Decatur

decaturces@purdue.edu

Dekalb

dekalbces@purdue.edu

Delaware

delawareces@purdue.edu

Dubois

duboisces@purdue.edu

Elkhart

elkhartces@purdue.edu

Fayette

fayetteces@purdue.edu

Floyd

floydces@purdue.edu

Fountain

fountainces@purdue.edu

Franklin

franklinces@purdue.edu

Fulton

fultonces@purdue.edu

Gibson

gibsonces@purdue.edu

Grant

grantces@purdue.edu

Greene

greeneces@purdue.edu

Hamilton

hamiltonces@purdue.edu

Hancock

hancockces@purdue.edu

Harrison

harrisonces@purdue.edu

Hendricks

hendrces@purdue.edu

Henry

henryces@purdue.edu

Howard

howardces@purdue.edu

Huntington

huntingtonces@purdue.edu

Jackson

jacksonces@purdue.edu

Jasper

jasperces@purdue.edu

Jay

jayces@purdue.edu

Jennings

jennices@purdue.edu

Jefferson

jeffersonces@purdue.edu

Johnson

johnsonces@purdue.edu

Knox

knoxces@purdue.edu

Kosciusko

koscices@purdue.edu

LaGrange

lagrangeces@purdue.edu

Lake

lakeces@purdue.edu

LaPorte

laporteces@purdue.edu

Lawrence

lawrenceces@purdue.edu

Madison

madisonces@purdue.edu

Marion

marionces@purdue.edu

Marshall

marshallces@purdue.edu

Martin

martinces@purdue.edu

Miami

miamices@purdue.edu

Monroe

monroeces@purdue.edu

Montgomery

montgomeryces@purdue.edu

Morgan

morgances@purdue.edu

Newton

newtonces@purdue.edu

Noble

nobleces@purdue.edu

Ohio

ohioces@purdue.edu

Orange

orangeces@purdue.edu

Owen

owences@purdue.edu

Parke

parkeces@purdue.edu

Perry

perryces@purdue.edu

Pike

pikeces@purdue.edu

Porter

porterces@purdue.edu

Posey

poseyces@purdue.edu

Pulaski

pulaskices@purdue.edu

Putnam

putnamces@purdue.edu

Randolph

randolphces@purdue.edu

Ripley

ripleyces@purdue.edu

Rush

rushces@purdue.edu

St Joseph

stjoeces@purdue.edu

Scott

scottces@purdue.edu

Shelby

shelbyces@purdue.edu

Spencer

spencerces@purdue.edu

Starke

starkeces@purdue.edu

Steuben

steubences@purdue.edu

Sullivan

sullivances@purdue.edu

Switzerland

switzerlandces@purdue.edu

Tippecanoe

tippecanoeces@purdue.edu

Tipton

tiptonces@purdue.edu

Union

unionces@purdue.edu

Vandeburgh

vanderburghces@purdue.edu

Vermillion

vermillionces@purdue.edu

Vigo

vigoces@purdue.edu

Wabash

wabashces@purdue.edu

Warren

warrences@purdue.edu

Warrick

warrickces@purdue.edu

Washington

washingtonces@purdue.edu

Wayne

wayneces@purdue.edu

Wells

wellsces@purdue.edu

White

whiteces@purdue.edu

Whitley

whitleyces@purdue.edu

By Phone:  765-494-4000 (44000 when dialing from a campus phone)

  • The Purdue IT Service Desk is available by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week*.
By Email:  it@purdue.edu
  • The Purdue IT Service Desk is available by email 24 hours a day, 7 days a week*.

Unlinked PDFs in Cascade – Action Required

By: Lily Thill, digital communications coordinator

Please visit the link below and select your county to view all unlinked PDFs associated with your website in Cascade. 

Note: Owners and editors of Extension websites that are not county websites will be contacted directly with their list of unlinked PDFs in the coming days.

As we work to support Purdue’s mission and comply with federal regulations requiring all PDFs and uploaded materials to be ADA-compliant by April 2026, it is recommended that you remove these unlinked PDFs from Cascade.

If any of the information in these PDFs needs to be preserved, you have two options:

  1. Update the PDF to be ADA-compliant, including proper heading structure and alternative text for images.
  2. Transfer the content to a dedicated webpage, which is often more accessible for users.

Removing unlinked and unused documents is an important first step toward ensuring that your website meets ADA compliance requirements by the deadline.

If you have questions, please reach out to me (morrislc@purdue.edu) or Gina Price (gprice@purdue.edu).

Unlinked PDFs in Cascade

Purdue CARET State Conference

By: Steve McKinley, staff development specialist

At the annual Purdue CARET state conference on Thursday, Nov. 13, at the Beck Center in West Lafayette, 150 volunteer advocates and Purdue Extension professionals gathered to learn more about programs and resources available through Purdue Extension on campus and around the state of Indiana.

Eighteen exhibitors participated in the Interactive Engagement Trail. Four Extension educators shared highlights of their respective programs during the Innovating for the Future afternoon session.

Other highlights:

  • Attendees shared what Purdue CARET means to them and why they spend their time advocating for Purdue Extension.
  • A panel of county commissioners shared information relevant to building relationships with county government officials.
  • New officers were elected and retiring state committee members were recognized at the annual business meeting.
  • Dr. Bernie Engel and Dr. Angie Abbott provided updates on the College of Agriculture and Purdue Extension.

Content from the 2025 Purdue CARET state conference, including photos, are posted on the Purdue CARET website.

Save-the-date cards for upcoming Purdue CARET events were also distributed. Please add these to your calendars and share them with your county Purdue CARET members.

Thank you for your continued support of Purdue CARET!

Angie Abbott, Molly Hunt, Carie Herbst and Steve McKinley

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