Events

Professional Development

Building Learner-Centered Systems with Competency-Based Education

Amber Garrison-Duncan, EVP and COO, C-BEN

August 20th, 2025

Picture of Amber Garrison-Duncan, presenter at the webinar

What if Extension programming was truly built around the needs, goals, and lived experiences of learners? In this session, Amber Garrison Duncan, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN), explored how Extension professionals can design open, flexible, and outcomes-driven systems using the principles of Competency-Based Education (CBE). Drawing on her national leadership in credential innovation, quality assurance, and digital learning records, Amber provided practical strategies for building learner-centered pathways which recognize what students know and can do – regardless of where they gained their knowledge. Whether building or refreshing curriculum, designing engagement strategies, or working to embed access into every layer of your programming, this seminar offered fresh insights and actionable steps to move from aspiration to implementation.

AgriProspects Summit 2025

June 24-25, 2025

A big thank you to everyone for making the virtual AgriProspects Summit a huge success! If you weren’t able to attend, you can find recordings of all Summit sessions on the Summit website!

We’re looking forward to continuing the discussion with a variety of post-Summit activities. Check back regularly for new items of sign up for our newsletter!

Thanks again for your support of the Summit and AgriProspects!

Professional Development
AgriProspects Marketplace Webinar
March 19th, 2025

At the March 19th webinar, participants learned the history and purpose of the AgriProspects Marketplace, how the clearinghouse and Marketplace will function, and what future phases will add in terms of functionality and support for Extension. The Q&A session explored topics such as integrating with current LMS and credentialing systems, strategies for reimagining program revenue streams, and approaches for institutions to deliver collaborative and transformative learning pathways and stackable credentials. Participants received a sample credential after the webinar to experience the Merit learning and employment record platform first hand.

Missed the webinar or reading this at a later date? You can still experience the learning and employment record system we showcased. Simply email us at agriprospects@extension.org to request your sample credential. We strongly recommend watching the recording to understand the activation process.

Professional Development
Mini-grant awardee spotlight – UMD and USU
January 15, 2025

The January 15th, 2025 Webinar showcased two innovative projects supporting agricultural entrepreneurship and the ecological land management workforce. We heard from the University of Maryland Extension’s Shannon Dill who discussed their Farm Business Coaching: Cultivating Entrepreneurship program aimed at equipping agricultural entrepreneurs with tools and networks for success. We also learned from Utah State University’s Ros McCann and team members about Permaculture for Professionals, which advances training in regenerative and ecological land management techniques. These initiatives, both recipients of AgriProspects Round 1 mini-grants, demonstrate practical solutions to workforce challenges while paving the way for broader educational impact.

Professional Development
Workforce Development Spotlights – Workforce PAT and URI Extension
September 18, 2024

A big thank you to everyone who registered for or attended our inaugural Professional Development seminar. The seminar featured an insightful overview of workforce development in Extension from Rob Russell, Senior Program Director for Business and Community with the University of Missouri and co-chair of the ECOP Economic and Workforce Development Program Action Team.

We then heard from Kate Venturini Hardesty, who shared the successes of the Agriculture and Food Systems Fellows Program at the University of Rhode Island. Opportunities for getting involved with workforce development in Extension were discussed, as were opportunities to engage with the overall AgriProspects Initiative.

Recording
Slides
URI Agricultural and Food Systems Fellows Program Promo Video: https://youtu.be/DJ-7SIbsmhw

Female worker sorting and cleans mangold on farm.

The Extension Foundation is a nonprofit established by Extension Directors and Administrators nationwide. Extension Foundation is embedded in the U.S. Cooperative Extension System and serves on Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP).

This work is supported by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)-National Extension Clearinghouse for Industry and the Workforce, project award no. 2023-67037-40533, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this website and consultative support are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Extension Foundation.