Self-assessment for Writing and Research class January, 1999 Vince Crary

I attended Catholic grade and high school graduating in 1964. I then attended college at North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota, for two years. Following three years in the Army, I returned to NDSU and graduated in 1971 with a B.S. degree in Animal Science.

My first job out of college was selling animal health products to veterinarians in Wisconsin and then in Ohio.

We moved back to North Dakota, and I went to work selling computers and banking equipment for National Cash Register. I had worked with computers and taught punch card machine operations while in the service. Working for NCR went well. I left NCR because my father asked me to help him with a business he had bought. I worked with my father getting the business turned around, and we eventually sold the business.

I wanted to get into the agricultural field, so I went to the NDSU library and went through the ag magazines looking for products or dealerships with which to start my own business. My wife and I started our business in Detroit Lakers, Minnesota, and ran it successfully for thirteen years. We sold, installed, and serviced equipment for dairy producers in northwest Minnesota. The Federal Government Dairy Buy-out Program, coupled with the very high interest rates of the 1980's, led us to liquidate our corporation. We were able to pay our debts and sell our facilities. When we liquidated, we had thirteen employees.

My wife and I raised Holstein bull calves and had a beef cow herd, but with two children in college, we decided we would have to work off the farm. I went to work with Land O' Lakes as a Livestock Production Specialist working with livestock producers through Land O' Lakes Cooperatives.

I had an opportunity to get into Extension work in a temporary position in Becker County. I have worked in Polk County since 1992 with the Minnesota Extension Service as an Extension Educator.

The professional issues that most interest me deal with becoming more effective in my job. Extension Educators deal with such a variety of questions that you can never be an expert in each topic area. However, you can become more efficient in writing, question asking, delivery of presentations, working with people, developing good listening skills and organizing your work.

I feel I could use help in the areas of writing, delivery of presentations, and developing better listening skills. These areas would be of most interest to me in pursuing further expertise.

My professional goals are to become a more effective Extension Educator and to provide the best possible education services to the population of the state of Minnesota, specifically in Polk County and Cluster Six of the Minnesota Extension Service. The Masters of Education Program through the University of Minnesota, Duluth, fits these goals by allowing me to work on projects, take classes, and interact with my cohorts and instructors to work on my professional issues while doing my job. I learn better and retain more while working on things I am interested in and enjoy doing. The M. Ed. Program allows me to learn and progress while doing just that.

For my thesis project I have chosen to work with Sue Damme, Staff Development Leader, in two learning experience areas: 1. New Educator Learning Seminars. Sue is interested in enhancing the new Extension Educator learning experiences. A group of us has been working very closely with Sue on this project. We have conducted research and helped design a three-day seminar. At the seminar, the cohort group will be presenting, facilitating sessions, and helping where necessary. We will document all of this work.

2. Mentor Program. We are in the process of also helping Sue develop a mentor Program. This project is just in the planning phase. We have talked about possible areas where the mentor program will be implemented in the Extension system. New Educators and 4-H are two areas being explored.

-- Anonymous, January 13, 1999