USU supports 4-H
Utah State University recently hosted the Western Region Institute for 4-H agents who have been on the job for about five years or less.
Debra Jones, Extensions specialist for Volunteer Development at USU, said the purpose for the agents is to give them a good foundation for “youth development programming.”
In attendance were more than 90 participants and representatives from the National 4-H Council.
USU became involved with the conference because the “idea generated within discussions among state 4-H program leaders that there was a need to strengthen 4-H club work, starting with proper training of new 4-H agents and then building from there,” Jones said.
Because other areas in the country are interested in this concept to “strengthen Extension’s strong foundation of 4-H club work,” USU is developing a new 4-H leader track for Western Regional 4-H Volunteer Leaders’ Conference, scheduled Feb. 26 to March 2, 2003 in Portland, Ore., and during Leadermete, Utah 4-H’s annual volunteer development conference, April 24 to 26, 2003 in Park City she said.
Recently, Robert “Bob” Gilliland, a past dean for USU, was inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame. Gilliland is currently serving as a mission president in Ohio for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“Bob was a 4-H member who went on to serve as a 4-H volunteer leader, 4-H agent in Arizona, 4-H program leader and associate dean in New Mexico, and on to vice president and dean for Utah State University Extension,” Jones said. “Gilliland has a remarkable ability to inspire and empower others.”
Gilliland said, “As an agent, specialist and state leader spanning Arizona, Ohio, New Mexico and Utah, over a period of 34 years [my opportunities] gave me so many rich memories of young people and volunteers along with fellow professionals who were truly committed to making the best better. I am richly blessed for this great experience and will be eternally grateful.”
On another 4-H note there is now a new 4-H Aggie Ice Cream flavor.
“The official name of the 4-H centennial ice cream is ‘4-H Clover Cluster,'” Jones said.
The name was developed from suggestions gathered at Leadermete, 4-H’s annual volunteer leader conference,” she said.