FW Graduate Student welcome Retreat & orientation – Outreach

1. FW Graduate Student welcome Retreat & orientation – Outreach Dr. Jo Latimore October 9, 2010

2. What is “Outreach”? • OUTREACH is two-way communication used to establish mutual understanding, promote involvement, and influence attitudes and actions with the goal of improving joint stewardship of our natural resources. • US Fish and Wildlife Service

3. What is “Outreach”? • OUTREACH is a form of scholarship that cuts across teaching, research, and service. It involves generating, transmitting, applying, and preserving knowledge for the direct benefit of external audiences in ways that are consistent with university and unit missions. • MSU Provost’s Committee on University Outreach

4. FW Graduate Outreach Experience • “...a flexible, experiential learning opportunity for students to develop and implement an outreach experience, based on their research or long-term professional interests, while meeting the missions of our department and institution.” • Outreach Experience plan • Due end of Year 1 (M.S.) or Year 2 (Ph.D.) • One page: who, what, where, when • Approval by Chair of Graduate Committee • Outreach Experience Outcome • Due when defense scheduled • One page • Approval by student’s graduate committee

5. Steps for a Successful Outreach Project • Define your issue or research area. • Identify and assess your target audience.

6. To Identify & Assess Your Audience... • What groups are involved in the issue? • For each group, what conservation actions are desired? • What messages must be sent? • What channels will most efficiently result in the desired behavior? • How will you know if your approach worked?

7. Steps for a Successful Outreach Project • Define your issue or research area. • Identify and assess your target audience. • Define clear goals and objectives.

8. General Outreach Goals • Increase awareness about natural resource issues • Information exchange (via two-way communication) • Strengthen credibility • Improve support • Build new partnerships • Promote and strengthen existing partnerships

9. Steps for a Successful Outreach Project • Define your issue or research area. • Identify and assess your target audience. • Define clear goals and objectives. • Inventory resources and constraints. • Design your outreach experience. • Integrate relevant best education practices. • Implement. • Evaluate.

10. Evaluation! • Was your message received? • Was it interpreted as desired? • Was it retained? • Was it seen as important? • Did it change attitudes and beliefs? • Did it influence behavior?

11. Real Student Examples! • Brochure on Proper Pharmaceutical Disposal • Landowner Workshops • Cormorant brochure • Interpretive Trail at a Nature Center • 4-H camp • Training lake volunteers • “Spotlight” articles • Science Olympiad program

12. Outreach Resources • FW Faculty • Jordan Pusateri Burroughs • Wildlife • Erin Dreelin • Water Quality • Jo Latimore • Aquatic Ecosystem Management • Many (most?) other faculty also have partial outreach appointments

13. Outreach Resources • FW Outreach and Extension webpage • University Outreach and Engagement • “Tools of Engagement” • Graduate Certificate in Community Engagement • Emerging Engagement Scholars Workshop • Engaged Scholar Speaker Series • Outside MSU • National Extension Water Outreach Education • Many others!