June 2022
Colleagues,
We ask a lot of our employees here at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. We are, in our very name, a service to the people of Texas. We aren’t just embedded in communities, we are integrated. We live with those we serve, our children go to school together, we volunteer together and we eat in the same restaurants.
Because of this, when something happens in a community — whether a mass shooting, a fire, a tornado or a celebration — our Extension agents are affected as community members and because of the work we do.
Thanks to Extension staff and agents, our agency has an astounding, deeply rooted understanding of the state of Texas. The flip side is that Extension members feel pain with the people they serve and with their friends and colleagues around the state. When something happens in a Texas community, our agents experience it too. We feel it.
Helping people improve the lives of Texans requires caring. And when a job involves caring, it’s not just a job: It’s a calling.
I want to stop for a moment and say that because you are a part of this AgriLife Extension service, you go above and beyond what’s expected in most other careers. And because you care, you make a difference. Today, and every day, we stop and acknowledge this fact.
“Thank you” seems to fall short in 2022. But please know that gratitude is what I feel. It's also what I hear many Texans feel for our agency members who support communities in good times, but especially in dark times. We do not need to carry these burdens alone. As you help others, we want to ensure we help you.
With the deepest gratitude,
Rick Avery
Director, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
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UPDATES FROM AROUND EXTENSION |
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Personnel Updates
Looking for a "Who's Who" for Your Topical Questions?
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Welcoming Our Newest Employees
We were excited to welcome 36 new employees to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension family at our May 29 – June 3 session of Discover Extension, the state orientation for new Extension employees. Thank you to all of our incredible speakers, panelists and discussion group leaders who helped to make this event so impactful for our attendees. We encourage you to reach out to the new employees in your area or region, or those who serve in similar roles, and send a note of welcome and encouragement as they begin their AgriLife Extension journey! You can learn more about these talented and passionate individuals here.
As we look to the next Discover Extension session towards the end of the summer, please email Hannah Gerken, the new AgriLife Extension program specialist for employee development, to communicate about any new employees you have hired or will be hiring prior to the session.
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Summer “Book” Club
Connect with colleagues around the state through a common “reading” to gain knowledge, develop a skill, engage in discussion or just for enjoyment. Materials may include online training, a book, a series of articles, a podcast and more, depending on the group’s interest. If you want to learn more, fill out this survey form and send it to colleagues who might be interested!
Community of Learners: Graduate Studies
Are you pursuing a graduate degree? Thinking about it? We would like to facilitate community building and support for those pursuing advanced degrees and those contemplating doing so. Please fill out this form if you would like more information.
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MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS |
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Update on the AgriLife Extension Web Hub
New City is wrapping up the final development and design work for the site. At the same time, Marketing and Communications team members are transferring and formating content submitted from across the agency into the approved page designs. On that note, thank you to the AgriLife Extension leadership and program and service representatives who are still responding to our content-gathering survey. As we all know, this is a giant lift!
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Got Events?
Get Them on the AgriLife LiveWhale Calendar
The LiveWhale calendar showcases all Texas A&M AgriLife events around the state. Our strategist team is working to ensure that when the AgriLife Extension web hub goes live this summer, each topic, program and county page reflects a robust variety of your events. To achieve that, we need your help. Share your events with us through this request form. It's quick and easy. Have questions? Reach out to our team — we're here to help.
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Summer Social (Media) Hour Coming Soon!
Catch the summer wave of social media training opportunities. Through this three-part series, we equip you with the resources and knowledge to better connect with your community stakeholders through social media.
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- Social Media 101: A look at platform options and audiences
- Starting new accounts and resurrecting old accounts
- Branding, profiles, cover photos, about pages + Q&A
- Facebook Pages vs Facebook Groups: Which is best for you?
- Urban and rural challenges – not one-size-fits-all solution
- Effective content strategies for county agents and specialists + Q&A
- Hashtag strategy and in-platform tools
- Engagement strategies and content planning
- Insights, metrics and optimization for maximum impact! + Q&A
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AGRILIFE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. |
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New Machines to Run Windows 11
Beginning July 1, new machines from TechBuy will run on Windows 11. Current Windows 10 machines are not impacted, as Microsoft support continues until October 2025. The transition to Windows 11 is starting now due to the large number of machines that must be replaced or upgraded over the next two fiscal years.
AIT partnered with the AgriLife Administrative Services Property Office to develop the AgriLife Computer Inventory Dashboard, and an easy-to-use guide. This dashboard should help you identify and plan for the replacement of devices that are not compatible with Windows 11.
We are also creating resources that you can use to acquaint yourself with Windows 11. A few of the resources we have so far are:
You can view all TechBuy computers and Windows 11-ready accessories on the TechBuy website.
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AGRILIFE DIGITAL EDUCATION |
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Update Regarding Event Registration Support
Important event registration information was shared on April 26 regarding the ongoing registration platform migration. Many of the changes outlined in the communication are due to system limitations on the transitionary platform and will not be permanent. All features and services will continue to be evaluated and considered as we search for a permanent solution.
Important Reminders
- The AgriLife Flywire storefront is being used to handle registrations in the interim.
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All events with registration ending after April 30 have been migrated to the new storefront, and event organizers impacted by this transition should have received direct communication from their assigned EPS.
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AgriLife Register is no longer be active and customers going to that URL are re-directed to the AgriLife Flywire site.
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For future event registration setup, including county, district or regional requests, please submit this form a minimum of 30 days prior to the desired listing date to ensure adequate time to support your request.
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New on AgriLife Learn
AgriLife Learn online courses are here for Texans, and they can also be valuable educational supplements to your in-person programs.
Check out the latest offerings developed by your colleagues!
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Learn how to create a butterfly garden you can enjoy for years! This course's interactive garden and videos will teach you how to attract butterflies as well as identify the common types of butterflies in Texas. |
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Explore how to start a beehive with this online beekeeping course for beginners. Also learn about honey bee biology, the beekeeping equipment you will need and more. |
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