Penn State Extension
For over 100 years, Penn State Extension has provided non-formal educational outreach through a “county-based partnership [of] Penn State Extension educators, faculty, and local volunteers” to translate and apply university research to improve conditions for individuals, families, businesses, and communities (Penn State Extension, n.d.). Extension is organized into program area teams made up faculty, professional educators and staff, as well as volunteers. These individuals operate out of Penn State’s University Park campus and a network of 67 county-based offices – one for each county in Pennsylvania. Collectively, Extension offers educational products and programs (including certifications) related to animals, plants and pests, natural resources, community and business, food and health, and youth and family.
The CARES Project pairs well with the work of Extension for two reasons. First, needs assessments are a common tool used by extension educators and staff to develop educational programs. Needs assessments help program planners identify specific needs within a target population and tailor their programs to that population’s preferences. The CARES Survey is essentially a broad-spectrum, multi-stakeholder needs assessment – the findings of which will be of interest not only to Extension and faculty members within the College of Agricultural Sciences, but other colleges as well. Second, due to Extension’s structure and cooperative funding model, which draws financial support from the local (county), state, and federal governments, Extension administrators work closely with local elected leaders. There is an opportunity to partner with municipal and county leaders (or even state legislators), who are also likely to be interested in residents’ perceptions, preferences, and priorities.
Penn State Student Engagement Network
The Student Engagement Network, led by the units of Undergraduate Education, Student Affairs, and Outreach and Online Education, aims to provide students with engagement experiences that complement their in-classroom learning. According to the Engagement Initiatives at Penn State: A Concept Paper (2016):
Engagement initiatives contribute to students’ intellectual, personal, and social development, and they foster integration into university life, add distinction and value to a Penn State undergraduate experience, and contribute to the continued success of Penn State graduates as citizens and leaders across the state, the nation, and the world. (p. 2)
Together, the new Extension positions and Student Engagement Network highlight the importance of promoting university-community engagement activities that are both responsive (address public concerns and desires) and responsible (assess impacts and balance the costs and benefits to both university and non-university participants).