University of Missouri Extension council members, representing 94 counties and the city of St. Louis, gathered on the MU campus March 28-29 for “MU for You: County Extension Council Workshop.”

Among the attendees was Debbie Bennett, new County Engagement Specialist for Atchison County.

The two-day workshop was designed to help council members and extension county engagement specialists learn about building effective partnerships, identifying local needs and accessing university resources.

“I enjoyed the workshop because it’s always great to see the big-picture overview from the University of the goals we’re trying to accomplish locally,” said Bennett.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson delivered a keynote address about the state’s changing infrastructure and workforce development needs.

Extension faculty and State Extension Council members facilitated discussions on improving the effectiveness of councils, increasing extension program participation and visibility, council training and development, and other topics.

Other sessions looked at how the University of Missouri System, MU and MU Extension engage communities across the state to tackle a variety of issues, including the opioid crisis, assistance to veterans and rural health care.

The second day of the workshop included sessions on building partnerships, transparency in council finances, inclusive decision making, and council roles and responsibilities.

For more information about MU Extension in Atchison County and the county extension council, please visit www.extension.missouri.edu or contact the county extension center in Rock Port at 744-6231.