Oregon State is one of 12 universities participating in
Extension Reconsidered, a national Imagining America initiative that invites citizens to imagine and consider new ways for Cooperative Extension to serve as a vital resource for communities in the 21st century.This initiative was launched to mark
the centennial of the Smith-Lever Act of 1914, the federal legislation that institutionalized the land-grant system’s Extension work by establishing the national Cooperative Extension System.On Tuesday, April 15, Oregon State hosted a day-long forum focused on the role for OSU Extension in art, humanities and design and their potential for community revitalization in Oregon.The group assembled included OSU Extension faculty and staff, other OSU employees (non-Extension) and students, and community members.The morning session engaged participants in a series of interactive artistic activities. In the afternoon, the group explored the following questions:
1. What is the role of arts, humanities and design in a vibrant community?
2. How is OSU Extension currently engaged through the arts? What additional opportunities are there for OSU Extension in this area, and what would it take to make it happen?
3. What would communities look like if OSU Extension was more engaged in communities in the areas of art, humanities and design?
