This January Chapter Historian Ave Bauder will embark on compiling the story of the Lamda Chapter of ESP. Although we have located a miscellaneous box containing various materials, nothing beats information from people who have been involved in ESP over the years. Were you a chapter officer once? Around for the 1st meeting or the early years? Presented at a National Conference? Have some incriminating pictures? If so, Ave wants to talk with you! We are especially hoping that some of our Lifetime members can help us reconstruct the history of the Chapter. If you have any information or stories that you think will be helpful, please contact Ave at Bauder@Cornell.edu or 315-651-0050.
From our ESP Lambda Chapter President (October 2020) – Arlene Wilson
This year has been full of challenges, as we were swept up in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. Cornell Cooperative Extension has encouraged us providing ways to live our mission of cooperation and partnership with government, farmers, growers, volunteers and the community. We have worked even harder, dug deep into the well of creativity, stretched more to demonstrate our flexibility, transitioned to online platforms [sometimes kicking and screaming] and working remotely, wearing face coverings, and carrying hand sanitizer everywhere. We have been appreciated, thanked, praised, and received support from a variety of sectors.
To whom much is given, much is expected.
The role of Epsilon Sigma Phi, is one of fostering excellence in the Extension professional through professional development and leadership opportunities. We do this through online workshops, seminars and our flagship in person Annual ESP Conference. Three years of planning, promotion, logo designs, trips and tours were overruled by COVID-19.
To whom much is given, much is expected.
So, we pivoted and decided to host the first ESP Virtual Conference! We retooled plans, repurposed logos and rallied the Extension troops across New York State and on the Cornell campus to make the concept a reality. There are not words enough to thank everyone for all the creativity, tenacity, problem-solving, and hard work, resulting in a highly successful, record-breaking ESP national conference! Stay tuned for more innovation and projects from ESP!
Warmly,
Arlene Wilson, ESP Lambda President
aaw66@cornell.edu
Membership Update (October 2020)
Membership Update:
ESP-Lambda keeps on growing, with our current membership standing at 59 members — 37 annual members and 22 life members. Joining us in 2020 are: Robert Batt, Liz Berkeley, Mary Breyette, Susan Coyle, Jarmila Haseler, Lori Koenick, Jessica Kouzan, Andrea Lista, Garet Livermore, Susanne Magee, MaryBeth Mitcham, Lydia Reidy, Jessica Reid, and Nicole Slevin. Welcome to all!
Stay up to date on ESP happenings and communicate with your peers across the state on the ESP-Lambda Chapter Blog: https://blogs-dev.cornell.edu/esp-lambda/ You’ll find information about the ESP-Lambda book club and professional development opportunities, as well as find a forum to discuss topics of interest with your fellow Extension professionals.
$upport Available to Attend Virtual Annual Conference
https://cceconferences.wufoo.com/forms/esp-national-conference-request-for-upport/
What is ESP – we will give you $50 to find out!
Submitted by: Beth Claypoole, CCE Wayne County, NYS and National ESP Past President
One of the best ways to take advantage of national learning opportunities and get to know your extension colleagues is to join one of the national extension associations – and I am recommending Epsilon Sigma Phi. ESP is a national organization that fosters leadership and professional development across all extension technical areas of expertise – all members of extension have a place in ESP. I once said that ESP teaches you how to be a better educator, no matter what area of technical expertise. This is especially important for extension staff who may not have a readily prominent professional organization to which to belong – like Executive Directors!
This year, our local NYS ESP Chapter, Lambda, was going to host the National ESP 2020 Conference, in Rochester, NY, expecting more than 200 people to visit our state and participate in Professional Development activities. Instead, we are in the process of planning our on line conference, complete with 5 concurrent sessions, 2 speakers, and our traditional Ruby Award presentation. The Ruby Award is the highest level of achievement reached by an ESP member and the awardee gives a heartfelt motivational speech during the Ruby Awards luncheon.
Our 3 speakers this year are worth the registration price, just to hear their presentations: Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy, past Director of NIFA (National Institute of Food and Agriculture) – the part of the USDA to which Extension reports; Ruby Award winner Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen; and Jonathan Ntheketha, Associate Director Student Success and Engagement, Multicultural Center for Academic Success, Diversity and Inclusion – RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology). Each of these speakers will have us thinking and taking action to better our extension experiences for ourselves and our participants.
In addition to these 3 outstanding speakers, we also have additional seminar presentations, research presentations, Ignite speakers and poster presentations from more than 40 of your colleagues from across the nation, including several from CCE.
The ESP association and conference websites can be found by going to “espnational.org” and clicking on the virtual conference link. Your local Lambda chapter Board of Directors welcomes you to register for this on line event for just $100. And to help you with your registration, the board approved at its August meeting to reimburse all current ESP members $50 of the registration fee. In addition, up to 20 new/potential members will also receive a $50 reimbursement through ESP – Lambda Chapter. You will need to register up front and pay the entire amount. Please contact Beth Claypoole, eac9@cornell.edu, for more information and to get registered for the first 20 non-member registrations.