Investing in Our People: Leadership Fellows Program
Introducing our 2018-2019 Leadership Fellows Cohort
In the division of Agriculture, Life and Veterinary Sciences and Cooperative Extension our foundation goal is to be the most sought-after place to be part of. Part of being the most sought-after place for our employees is investing in their growth and development. That is why the division established the Leadership Fellows, for the professional development of staff and appointed professionals in our division.
This year’s cohort consists of Dr. Molly Hunter, a Research Scientist in SNRE, and Ms. Rhegan Derfus, a Senior Program Coordinator for Cochise County Cooperative Extension. See more about the fellows and their selected professional development opportunity here.
When asked why she decided to apply for the Leadership Fellows program, Hunter stated, “it seemed like a great opportunity, there were some courses I was interested in taking, but didn’t have money to take.” She went on to explain, “I get funding from grants, but it’s hard to include money for professional development.”
Derfus, in giving her reasons for applying to the program, shared that she is “constantly looking for opportunities to give more back to the community,” and had noticed gaps that needed to be filled outside the structure of her current program, which supports early childhood development. She “wanted to learn and be in a more intentional position of learning from [the agents in her office]” about grant writing, needs assessments, producing publications, and more.
“It feels great - the university cares about the people that work for them, and wants to see them succeed and advance in their career,” said Hunter. “It’s really made me appreciate the UA, I’ve been at other universities and never saw something like this before… it’s something that is unique here.”
When asked how she felt about her selection, Derfus said, “it’s been a bit of a surprise to me, and it’s an honor that other people recognize my quality of work and my current leadership status, and the potential to grow forward.”
“Professional development is often something we put as a low priority,” Hunter stated, but “it’s important to invest in yourself.“
Advice if you are considering applying for the ALVSCE Leadership Fellows in the future: “if you feel like you could benefit from some cultivation of skills and can benefit your community, university, or team,” Derfus shared, “go apply, take the chance!”
For more information about applying for ALVSCE’s Leadership Fellows, visit our page on Compass.