The Mary Harrison Distinguished Extension Professional and Enhancement Award

 An Extension Faculty Recognition Program

Extension education programs reach millions of Floridians annually.  Families and individuals, young and old, benefit from timely and practical applications of the latest research findings.  For Extension family and consumer programs to successfully address the critical and often complex issues confronting Floridians, Extension faculty must continually update their disciplinary expertise and methods for program delivery.  New incentives and support are needed to help maintain faculty enthusiasm and commitment for quality programs that meet current needs.

IFAS and Family and Consumer Sciences Extension programs are committed to serving the needs of Florida’s families, who continually face complex economic and social challenges.  It is essential for Floridians to have access to the information that highly skilled Extension faculty provide to make more informed decisions related to family, community and environmental issues 

Program Highlights

One to three faculty will receive recognition annually.

Primary candidates are FCS faculty with tenure or permanent status; courtesy agents are also included.

Eligible state and county faculty will have been employed by Florida Cooperative Extension for five years – the majority of their appointment having been with Extension.

Candidates must be involved with distinguished Extension programs that place them among the leaders in their programming area over the most recent five-year period

$3,000 in grant funds will be provided to support Extension programming for up to three years. (Application must include time frame.)

Awards will be made in September.

Eligibility

State and county Family and Consumer Sciences faculty who have been employed by Florida Cooperative Extension for at least five years – the majority of their appointment having been with Extension and who have financially supported this professorship will be eligible for this award. 

Applicants also must have identified a colleague who has agreed to act as a mentor, whose support includes but is not limited to review of all materials developed.

Applicants must be involved with a distinguished Extension program, which has placed them among the leaders in their programming area over the most recent five-year period.

Recipients may receive the award for three consecutive years for a single project. (Application may be for one, two, or three years.  Awards committee may award funds for one, two or three years.  If an applicant applies for three years the awards committee may fund only one year, two years or the full three years.) 

Application Process

Applicant must submit five copies of their proposal to the Program Leader for Family and Consumer Sciences (Dr. Nayda Torres) on or before August 20.

Application must include:

1)  Current vita (most recent five-year period) that clearly defines their distinguished Extension program.

2)  Project proposal for which funds are being sought.  (The project may include:  program development, materials and supplies, program evaluation, professional meetings, in-service training, etc.)

  • Clear Rationale for doing the project (30 points)
  • Description of what will be done (40 points)
  • Realistic Budget (15 points)
  • Time line for completing the project (15 points)

3) Letter from project mentor (who must review all materials developed)

Selection Criteria

These competitive professional enhancement awards are awarded to faculty with tenure or permanent status; courtesy agents are also included, who have a distinguished current record of extension programming.  The purpose of these awards is to recognize recent contributions and to provide incentives for continued excellence in extension programming.

The primary selection criteria will be:

  • performance in the past five years
  • project proposal
  • rationale
  • description
  • budget
  • time line
  • mentor identified

Selection Process

A committee will be appointed (annually) by the Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Program Leader to include three to seven members. Committee members will represent:

  • Mary Harrison
  • Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences
  • The Mary Harrison Distinguished Extension Professional and Enhancement Award Committee

The selection committee will choose recipient(s) and approve the mentor for each recipient.

Expectations on Completion of Professional Enhancement Award 

Persons holding this award must provide a brief report (three page maximum) to the Dean of Extension, FYCS Department Chair, and FCS Program Leader on accomplishments during the period they held the award and on their expectations for the future.

Recipient will be expected to present results of the award at a professional meeting that will be identified in their report.

Funding Source

Funds in the Mary Harrison Distinguished Extension Professional and Enhancement Award are earnings from donations to the Mary Harrison Distinguished Extension Professional and Enhancement Award.  These awards involve no state allocations.

Revised  July 2006