August Announcements

As we develop strategies to deliver programs regionally, we are focusing on broader reach, depth of expertise, reduced duplication, applied research, innovation and continued service for communities. Stay tuned for updates on the transformation in the next newsletter. 

If you have any questions about the transformation, please email ExtensionTransformation@purdue.edu, and your question will be sent to the appropriate department.  

By Amanda Graupner, Extension administrator for CES digital support

By Amanda Graupner, Extension administrator for CES digital support

Purdue Extension's Experience 4-H: Crop and Soil Science Workshop brought together 31 youth from nine counties for a full day of hands-on learning, introducing participants to the science and technology behind agriculture. 

Participants explored the topics of soil science, crop growth stages, drone technology, grain safety and crop diagnostics while learning directly from Purdue Extension educators and agricultural specialists. 

The workshop was made possible through the collaboration of Purdue Extension ANR educators, university specialists and industry partners, who each contributed expertise. The program continues to build on the foundation established last year, under the guidance of retired Purdue forage specialist Keith Johnson, whose vision helped launch the workshop. 

"The real impact is building relationships and breaking down silos," said regional ANR educator Marty Huseman. "When Extension educators and Purdue specialists work together, they share expertise, strengthen their professional networks and ultimately deliver better, research-based programs for the people we serve." 

The workshop also highlighted the importance of engaging the entire family. Parents, guardians and agriculture teachers participated alongside youth throughout the day, including teachers from nearby high schools who attended with seven of their agriculture students. Several families spent the day learning together, reinforcing the workshop's educational experience beyond the youth participants. Jason Adams hosted the group at the Corn and Soybean Innovation Center, providing classroom and meeting space, lunch accommodations and additional facilities when severe weather moved activities indoors. 

For Huseman, seeing youth from across Indiana learning together was one of the day's greatest successes. 

"Youth don't see county lines or barriers — they come together to learn, make new friends, share experiences and have fun," he said. "That's what made this workshop so special."

By: Extension Communication Committee (Jenny Clark, Olivia De Young, Rachel Dillhoff, Amanda Graupner, Molly Hunt, Kelsey Meyers, Lily Thill)

Teaming up on social media with partner organizations 

Joining forces with other Purdue groups, Extension colleagues or partner organizations can create successful programs. Teaming up on social media to promote shared events can increase the chances of program success. 

Sometimes, partner organizations may ask if you can help promote one of their events on social media. In these cases, here are some things to consider before sharing: 

1. Is Purdue Extension an event partner or sponsor? 

1. Does the content align with Purdue Extension’s mission and values? 

1. Mission statement:  

1. Purdue Extension enriches Indiana communities through comprehensive programs in Agriculture and Natural Resources, promoting sustainable practices; Health and Human Sciences, enhancing well-being; Community Development, fostering economic growth; and 4-H and Youth Development, empowering the next generation. We deliver practical, research-based information that enhances lives and livelihoods. 

1. Does the content align with the clients Extension is trying to serve? 

1. Is the content accessible (a photo or simple graphic)? 

1. Is there room in the social media calendar? Would sharing the content take away an opportunity to share about Extension events or services? 

Sharing events from partner organizations can strengthen local connections, but each request must be carefully considered. If you have questions about how to best partner with other organizations, please reach out to Rachel Dillhoff (rdillhoff@purdue.edu), Purdue Extension social media coordinator. 

Quick tip – Cross-promote events through other mediums 

Sharing an event on social media can be a good starting place, but you can amplify your reach through sharing the information through other mediums like email, newsletters, Cascade events, or post-event web stories.

By Rachel Dillhoff, Purdue Extension social media coordinator 

As Purdue Extension continues its transition to the regional model, planning is underway for the rollout of regional social media pages. The Communications Committee is developing a coordinated approach to help make the transition as smooth and consistent as possible across the state. 

Social media remains a priority because it plays an important role in connecting with local communities, promoting programs and events, and sharing the impact of Purdue Extension. The future social media structure will include both regional Purdue Extension pages and county 4-H pages. Additional information about how the transition will work, along with guidance and resources, will be shared before any changes are implemented. 

The goal is to ensure everyone has the information, tools, and support needed to successfully navigate the transition. More updates will be provided as plans are finalized. Please do not make new pages at this time. 

By Olivia De Young, communications specialist for Agricultural Communications 

As all counties transition into regional teams, so too will web content transition away from using individual county websites as the primary hub for health and human sciences (HHS), agriculture and natural resources (ANR) and community development (CD) programming. Instead, each region will launch a dedicated Regional Teams webpage that reflects the updated Extension structure and showcases regional events, relevant news and shared program offerings across HHS, ANR and CD. 

This structure has been tested with the East Central and West Central Regional Teams, and examples of what these pages look like can be found at: https://extension.purdue.edu/region/index.html. 

County websites will continue to exist but will be more streamlined, as these three program areas will move to the regional webpages. 4-H youth development will remain housed within county websites at this time.  

More information about how educators can support the new regional pages will be shared in the coming months.