Orientation Introduction

If there’s anything that can be done to make your first year with the NDSU Extension Service better, please contact your supervisor (district director, assistant director or department chair) or Deb Gebeke, Assistant Director, Staff Development.
debra.gebeke@ndsu.edu

The goal of any orientation effort is to help you get off to a good start. Orientation is both a short term and a long term process. It can take up to a year before you are fully aware of every aspect of your job. That may sound like a long time, but that way you’ll be able to learn as you go rather than be totally overwhelmed right when you start, and you’ll experience an entire cycle of Extension programming.

Extension orientation consists of several parts. The topics listed to the left reflect key areas for learning. A New Staff Orientation Checklist will help you, your supervisor and others make sure important information isn't missed.

Lessons on the Web. These lessons will help you learn about the land-grant university, collaboration, resources, professional development and much more. Each lesson is short and intended to generate questions that can be addressed by your supervisor, mentor and other extension colleagues. Just follow instructions for each session and you'll master the basics.

On-campus Visit. New staff are invited to the NDSU campus for a two-day orientation session. This includes visits with administrators and faculty, computer demonstrations, communication and education training, and much more. You’ll be contacted about when the next on-campus orientation session will take place.

Mentoring. Your supervisor will introduce you to a staff person who has been in a similar job for a while. Though our mentoring is very informal, you’re encouraged to go visit your mentor to see how he or she does things. Go prepared with a list of questions. Feel free to e-mail or call your mentor regularly to simply bounce off ideas and get feedback. Learn from someone else’s successes and mistakes.

Design for Learning. New staff are asked to take part in a distance education experience about how to design educational programs. The experience consists of self-study, e-mail sharing and conference calls to discuss ideas with each other. You’ll be contacted when the next class is starting.

E-mail Sharing. If you’ve been on staff less than one year, you’re on the new staff e-mail group: newstaff@ndsuext.nodak.edu. Please use this group mailing list to share any ideas that might interest other new staff: interesting Web sites, useful resources, office tips, anything.

Checklist

Let’s make sure you have some of the basic Extension supplies.

- Nametag
Yes     No, contact Lori Lymburner, ext-dir@ndsuext.nodak.edu

- Desk Plate
Yes     No, contact Lori Lymburner, ext-dir@ndsuext.nodak.edu

- Business Cards
Yes     No, talk with your support staff

- Enclosures (small pages with the Extension logo, your office address and your signature for including with materials you mail.)
Yes     No, talk with your support staff

Now on to Session 1: Welcome to the NDSU Extension Service.