Michigan State University Extension senior leadership and professional development specialist Lela Vandenberg was honored with the eXtension Champion Award during the 2014 National eXtension Conference and National Extension Directors and Administrators Meeting March 26 in Sacramento, Calif.
eXtension is a national Internet-based environment where land-grant university content providers gather and produce new educational and informational resources on wide-ranging topics. The organization’s Governing Committee presents the award to individuals instrumental in the creation and development of the eXtension initiative within the Cooperative Extension System.
In 2009, Vandenberg attended the first National eXtension Conference. By 2012, she was leading the MSU Extension Institutional Team and offering training on eXtension tools statewide. She also volunteered to work with eXtension nationally on the State and Local Value Enhancement initiative.
“I am so very honored to receive this award. eXtension has been so easy to champion for many reasons: the dedication of its staff, their commitment to continual improvement, their innovative use of educational technologies and their mission to help us truly cooperate across state boundaries and serve our citizens better than we could alone,” Vandenberg said. “I have truly enjoyed introducing our staff and staff from states across the country to the many ways eXtension enriches us and am deeply grateful for this recognition.”
Executive director of eXtension Elbert Dickey said Vandenberg’s contribution and her skill and expertise in online learning have been invaluable to eXtension.
“She has always been at the ready to passionately help in any way she can to advance eXtension and its tools both inside and outside of Michigan,” Dickey said.
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