CALS Dean Garey Fox is hitting the road this summer for Expedition Extension — a statewide tour from June 24 through September 26 to visit all 101 local Extension centers plus the Plants for Human Health Institute in Kannapolis.

102 stops. 95 days. One bold mission: to better connect, support and celebrate the amazing people growing North Carolina from the ground up.

View the full schedule.

To ensure every team has a consistent and meaningful experience, we’ve outlined what to expect, along with guidance to help your team make the most of this opportunity.

FORMAT AND FRAMEWORK

Each visit will last 90 minutes. To keep the schedule on track across multiple daily stops, this time allotment cannot be adjusted.Please note a few other important guidelines:

• *No off-site activities (these are internal listening and learning visits)
• No meals are needed (only snacks and/or drinks should be offered, but thank you!)
• No gifts / giveaways (handouts like 1-pagers are fine)
• Keep things simple and focused! (Dean Fox wants to maximize facetime with every team)

*If you wish to showcase (or possibly host the visit at) a new local facility, please contact Julie Ridenour.

PLAN YOUR TIME WISELY

We recommend structuring your time around three focus areas:

• Showcase Your Strengths (~30 min.) *Introduce your team, distinguished guests (if applicable) and key programs or initiatives
• Share Your Impact (~30 min.) Demonstrate how your work is benefiting the community and advancing our mission
• Raise Key Questions or Needs (~30 min.) Identify important challenges, opportunities or priorities you want the Dean to know about

*You may invite local officials -- it's entirely optional -- but their participation should be limited to the first 20-30 minutes only.Dean Fox’s top priority is to hear your stories, celebrate your successes and understand what you need to continue making an impact -- the goal should be to facilitate discussion between your teams and the Dean.

PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD

To help your team make a great impression, we suggest that you:

• Use visual storytelling
  • Share a 1-pager or brief handout highlighting programs, impacts, partnerships, etc.
  • Leverage visual aids like slides, photos or data points (as applicable)
  • Find Extension impact templates and Presentation slide templates

• Wear your Extension apparel
  • Coordinated, branded clothing reinforces a unified and professional image
  • Find apparel on our online store

• Check your signage and materials
  • Ensure signage, posters, banners, handouts, etc. are updated with current logos, data, etc.
  • *Do you have outdated or damaged signage? Limited funding is available to help with updates — find guidance to get started

CONTACTS AND RESOURCES

Don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or if you need help with preparations – we're here to support you.

• Julie Ridenour — contact with logistical / scheduling questions
• Extension Marketing and Communications — contact with signage / marketing resource questions
• Extension Local Centers Directory and Plants for Human Health Institute — discover more about each stop along the tour

Thanks for all you do to represent Extension and our university in your communities — we’re excited for Dean Fox to see your incredible impact and pride on display statewide!