The mission of the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, as the land-grant university in Illinois, is to serve
the people of the State with research, teaching, and outreach programs.
Among U. of I. Extension priorities and objectives that relate most
closely to FREP are those below, including:
u Agriculture - With the focus
of sustaining it, remaining competitive, and keeping it profitable.
u
Soil Conservation and
Environmental Quality: This program area focuses on managing all natural
resources in a manner that safeguards our environment for today and
protects it for future generations.
u
Community Development and
Rural Revitalization: A battery of program offerings that help leaders of
all types of communities analyze their community needs, define options,
and take action to improve in ways that provide a satisfying environment
for citizens and businesses.
u
Leadership Development: In
government at all levels - and in community groups serving all interests
and ages - leadership is the key to making things happen. This program
area is designed to help today's leaders do their work - and develop
leaders for tomorrow.
u
Youth Development Education:
This area includes the 4-H program - a stalwart in rural Illinois for
years, and now as much at home in the city as the farm. But 4-H membership
is not a requirement. Prevention programs, leadership programs, offerings
in science, conservation, and a host of other topics delivered as
enrichment through school systems are only highlights of what this area
offers.
U. of I. Extension is represented in
FREP by John Church, Extension Educator, Natural Resources, located at the
Rockford Extension Center, which brings a variety of research-based
information to the residents of Northern Illinois. John provides
leadership in natural resource related programming for rural and urban
areas of northern Illinois. Networking with locally based
conservation-related agencies and groups and providing programming in soil
conservation, water quality and land use are the primary areas of focus.
University of Illinois Extension Educators at the
Rockford Center work as a team to address the complex issues of today.
Educators help the citizens of Illinois put knowledge to work. Located in
the Rockford Center are Extension Educators who cover the following
program areas:
