URBANA, IL — Collaboration and shared expertise strengthen any project, especially when they help deliver University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s latest research and best practices to communities across Illinois and beyond.
With the start of the fall semester, University of Illinois Extension launched the second cohort of Extension Academy, a professional development program designed to help College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences faculty deepen their understanding of Extension’s land-grant mission, values, and statewide impact. Extension Academy prepares faculty to engage more fully in Extension work by building meaningful partnerships and strengthening readiness to collaborate in Extension initiatives.
This year’s cohort included 13 Extension specialists representing animal sciences, agricultural and consumer economics, human development and family studies, crop sciences, agricultural leadership, education and communications, food science and human nutrition, and natural resources and environmental sciences. Meeting every other week, participants engaged in classroom-style sessions that featured facilitated discussions, insights from current research, and team-building activities with Extension leaders and staff from across Illinois.
Extension Academy Graduation
Following the final weeks of collaboration, the cohort celebrated its completion of Extension Academy. Extension Associate Dean and Director Matthew Vann offered remarks at the graduation ceremony, sharing his perspective on the program’s history and the collaborative impact he has already made during his tenure with Illinois Extension.
“Through Extension Academy, we are intentionally strengthening our workforce so they can have an even greater impact in communities across Illinois,” Vann said. “This investment in learning, leadership, and collaboration ensures we are ready for the challenges ahead and positioned for continued growth.”
ACES Dean Germán Bollero also addressed the graduates, reflecting on his interactions with the cohort and expressing his continued support for Extension Academy as it completes its second offering.
Among the graduates was Connor Sible, Extension specialist in crop sciences, who shared his appreciation for the program, noting how Extension Academy fosters cross-disciplinary collaboration that might not have occurred without this structured opportunity.
"The Extension Academy experience was a great way to connect with Extension personnel in my own and other departments, helping to understand how we each individually fit into the larger organization,” Sible said. “Most rewarding was discussing the clear and steady plan that Extension has moving forward to continue to grow and support our state at all levels, and it is an exciting time for all programs."
Experiencing Extension in Action
To conclude the program, the cohort will participate in a two-and-a-half-day statewide tour in spring 2026, designed to showcase the breadth and diversity of Extension programming. Traveling by bus, participants will visit Extension offices and partner sites, meet local staff and volunteers, and see firsthand how research-based programming is implemented in communities. The tour will also provide opportunities to discuss local needs, explore collaborative projects, and engage with community partners and local officials.
For more information on Illinois Extension, visit extension.illinois.edu.
WRITER: Jessica Bruner, Strategy, Planning, and Implementation Marketing Program Coordinator, Illinois Extension
INTERVIEWS: Jessica Bruner, Strategy, Planning, and Implementation Marketing Program Coordinator, Illinois Extension
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.