Photo by Christina VanHorn,
UNH Human Resources

For Nancy Franz, the programs initiated by the staff of the UNH Cooperative Extension (CE) are invaluable assets to the people of New Hampshire. "The great people I work with and the opportunities to transform people's lives through research based education are the most satisfying parts of my job," she says. Nancy is the Associate Director of the Cooperative Extension, and the work she and the Extension staff do impacts a quarter of the people who work or live in New Hampshire.

Nancy first came to UNH almost two years ago after working with the University of Wisconsin's Cooperative Extension from 1981-2003. She took a leave in 1999 to get her Ph.D. in Extension and Adult Education at Cornell University, and then applied at UNH. "This land-grant University and its Extension program were one of ten I targeted in the nation for my job search," Nancy says. "It's a great Extension program and a great campus."

While coming here was a big move from Wisconsin, Nancy says that it wasn't too bad for her and her fiancé. "We're both in 'people occupations,'" she says. "We're glad to be in a place where we can settle down." Additionally, UNH seemed like the perfect place for Nancy to put her skills to work. The CE's mission is: "To provide New Hampshire's citizens with research-based education and information, enhancing their ability to make informed decisions that strengthen youth, families and communities, sustain natural resources, and improve the economy."

Nancy's duties include overseeing educational programming, which involves program planning, development, implementation, evaluation, and reporting. These range in topic from 4-H Youth Development, agriculture, forestry and wildlife, family and consumer resources and Sea Grant and water resources. "I work with all the different programs," she says. "In my mind they are all equally important." John Pike, Dean & Director of UNH Cooperative Extension describes Nancy as "high energy, quick to respond, and focused on the implementation of extension's strategic plan." Pike says her primary responsibility as Associate Director is "to provide leadership for extension's educational program development, implementation and evaluation. UNH Cooperative Extension has staff in each of NH's 10 counties and reaches thousands of citizens throughout the state."

For her job, Nancy must possess academic and practitioner skills in educational programming and evaluation, have strong oral and written communication, be a team builder, and be well organized, among many other skills. According to Nancy, "political savvy, humor, and patience," also come in handy.

When she's not busy supporting Extension programs on "Financial Help for Farmers and Woodland Owners" or "Protecting Yourself Against Identity Theft," for example, Nancy enjoys the outdoors. Specifically, she likes "silent sports." "Silent sports are sports that don't require motorization, like cross-country skiing, hiking, or backpacking," Nancy says. She admits that the term often generates questions: "Someone once asked me, 'If I'm playing golf and I miss and yell obscenities, is that still a silent sport?'" New Hampshire has been a great place for Nancy to pursue these interests. "The outdoor venues here are just amazing," she says. "People are so friendly and accommodating, especially here on campus."