Professional Development Conference

Join us on December 4^th and 5^th at the Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds.

Join us on December 4th and 5th at the Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds.

Educator & Specialist Awards

The Crooks Award recognizes Extension Educators who have demonstrated excellence in Extension programming. Dr. Paul B. Crooks served as an Extension agent in Benton, Fountain, and Morgan Counties before becoming administrator of the statewide Better Farming-Better Living program in 1954. He later served as Associate Director of the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service from 1962 82. Crooks also served as national president of Epsilon Sigma Phi in 1969, a group that recognized his leadership in 1973 with its Distinguished Ruby Award.

Please review the criteria below and consider nominating a deserving Educator:
Guidelines
1. A cash award of $2,000 may be presented to one Purdue Extension Educator each year. Recipients may receive the award only once.
2. The recipient must be a current Purdue Extension Educator at the time the award is given.
3. Selection emphasis will be placed on Extension Educators who have shown:
• Innovation in content and/or delivery systems
• Efforts to engage or support the engagement of underserved clientele
• Significant and sustained program impact over a period of several years
• Resource development appropriate to the assignment
• Contribution to team or other collaboration opportunities
• Contributions to the profession of Extension (professional organizations, presentations at regional/national meetings, publications in Journal of Extension, multistate projects, etc.)

Nominations
All nominations must be limited to two pages, single-spaced, font size 11. A single set of supplementary materials can be provided for review by the selection committee. Nominations for this award are submitted to the Purdue Extension Director’s Office. Submissions must be in electronic form (Word or PDF) and emailed to Carie Herbst (herbstc@purdue.edu). A selection committee appointed by the Director of Extension will review all nominations and make final selection of the recipient.

Historical List of PDC Award Recipients

The Sharvelle award recognizes Extension Specialists who have served the people of Indiana by demonstrating a high degree of proficiency and professionalism during their careers, along with a track record of excellence in Extension programming. The Sharvelle Award is given each year in memory of Eric G. Sharvelle, who was a Purdue professor of botany and plant pathology from 1946 to 1975. The award was established in 1985 by Dr. Derek and Sybil Sharvelle of Battle Ground, Ind. Please review the criteria below and consider nominating a deserving Specialist:

Guidelines
1. A cash award of $2,000 may be presented to one Purdue Extension Specialist each year. Recipients may receive the award only once.
2. The recipient must be a current Purdue Extension Specialist at the time the award is given.
3. Selection emphasis will be placed on Extension Educators who have shown:
• Innovation in content and/or delivery systems
• Efforts to engage or support the engagement of underserved clientele
• Significant and sustained program impact over a period of several years
• Resource development appropriate to the assignment
• Contribution to team or other collaboration opportunities
• Contributions to the profession of Extension (professional organizations, presentations at regional/national meetings, publications in Journal of Extension, multistate projects, etc.)

Nominations
All nominations must be limited to two pages, single-spaced, font size 11. A single set of supplementary materials can be provided for review by the selection committee. Nominations for this award are submitted to the Purdue Extension Director’s Office. Submissions must be in electronic form (Word or PDF) and emailed to Carie Herbst (herbstc@purdue.edu). A selection committee appointed by the Director of Extension will review all nominations and make final selection of the recipient.

Historical List of PDC Award Recipients

The Crooks Award recognizes Extension Educators who have demonstrated excellence in Extension programming. Dr. Paul B. Crooks served as an Extension agent in Benton, Fountain, and Morgan Counties before becoming administrator of the statewide Better Farming-Better Living program in 1954. He later served as Associate Director of the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service from 1962 82. Crooks also served as national president of Epsilon Sigma Phi in 1969, a group that recognized his leadership in 1973 with its Distinguished Ruby Award.

Please review the criteria below and consider nominating a deserving Educator:
Guidelines
1. A cash award of $2,000 may be presented to one Purdue Extension Educator each year. Recipients may receive the award only once.
2. The recipient must be a current Purdue Extension Educator at the time the award is given.
3. Selection emphasis will be placed on Extension Educators who have shown:
• Innovation in content and/or delivery systems
• Efforts to engage or support the engagement of underserved clientele
• Significant and sustained program impact over a period of several years
• Resource development appropriate to the assignment
• Contribution to team or other collaboration opportunities
• Contributions to the profession of Extension (professional organizations, presentations at regional/national meetings, publications in Journal of Extension, multistate projects, etc.)

Nominations
All nominations must be limited to two pages, single-spaced, font size 11. A single set of supplementary materials can be provided for review by the selection committee. Nominations for this award are submitted to the Purdue Extension Director’s Office. Submissions must be in electronic form (Word or PDF) and emailed to Carie Herbst (herbstc@purdue.edu). A selection committee appointed by the Director of Extension will review all nominations and make final selection of the recipient.

Historical List of PDC Award Recipients

The Sharvelle award recognizes Extension Specialists who have served the people of Indiana by demonstrating a high degree of proficiency and professionalism during their careers, along with a track record of excellence in Extension programming. The Sharvelle Award is given each year in memory of Eric G. Sharvelle, who was a Purdue professor of botany and plant pathology from 1946 to 1975. The award was established in 1985 by Dr. Derek and Sybil Sharvelle of Battle Ground, Ind. Please review the criteria below and consider nominating a deserving Specialist:

Guidelines
1. A cash award of $2,000 may be presented to one Purdue Extension Specialist each year. Recipients may receive the award only once.
2. The recipient must be a current Purdue Extension Specialist at the time the award is given.
3. Selection emphasis will be placed on Extension Educators who have shown:
• Innovation in content and/or delivery systems
• Efforts to engage or support the engagement of underserved clientele
• Significant and sustained program impact over a period of several years
• Resource development appropriate to the assignment
• Contribution to team or other collaboration opportunities
• Contributions to the profession of Extension (professional organizations, presentations at regional/national meetings, publications in Journal of Extension, multistate projects, etc.)

Nominations
All nominations must be limited to two pages, single-spaced, font size 11. A single set of supplementary materials can be provided for review by the selection committee. Nominations for this award are submitted to the Purdue Extension Director’s Office. Submissions must be in electronic form (Word or PDF) and emailed to Carie Herbst (herbstc@purdue.edu). A selection committee appointed by the Director of Extension will review all nominations and make final selection of the recipient.

Historical List of PDC Award Recipients

Resources

Purdue Extension Professionals from the field and on campus, and some community partners, have submitted a series of well-rounded, in-depth sessions for the 2024 PDC. The process for submitting a proposal to present at PDC is described in the Call for Proposals. A similar timeline is likely to be followed in 2025. Start thinking about what you'd like to present in 2025 to your colleagues!

PDC Presenters: an e-mail with confirmation details for your Presentation or Roundtable Discussion session was sent to the lead presenters of each session on Friday, October 18. Below is the information e-mailed:

Purpose

The Purdue Extension Professional Development Conference (PDC) serves multiple objectives. Firstly, it offers an annual platform for Purdue Extension Professionals across various program areas to engage in professional development, foster collegial relationships, and expand their networks. It serves as a gathering point for professionals from Purdue's campuses, regional offices, County Extension Offices, and Ag Centers. Additionally, the conference aims to acknowledge the achievements of Purdue Extension and its professionals, highlighting their positive contributions to Indiana residents. Moreover, it serves as a conduit for keeping Extension Professionals updated on the latest news, research, and opportunities both within Purdue University and throughout Indiana, ensuring they remain informed and equipped for their roles.

Learn More

Committee Members

Many thanks to our 2024 committee members for their help and commitment to planning and implementing this year's Professional Development Conference.

2024 Committee Members

PDC Countdown

Educator & Specialist Awards

Resources

Archive

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

Session 4

Session 5

Session 6

Purpose

Committee Members