FEATURE STORY
Annual Retreat Gives Education Team
Time to Reflect, Reconnect and Review Program BY DR. PEGGY PERRY (9) AND DR. ROBERT FLORES, CALF INTERIM CO-DIRECTORS OF EDUCATION
WHAT DO THE U.S. FLAG, THE CRUCIFIX, A MICROPHONE, A MOTORCYCLE, A CAMERA, PHOTOS, A COPY OF THE TAO TE CHING AND SHEET MUSIC HAVE IN COMMON? THERE IS A STORY BEHIND EACH OF THE ITEMS. THIS PARTIAL LISTING OF ITEMS REPRESENTS THE DIVERSITY OF THE CALF EDUCATION TEAM (ED TEAM). EACH ITEM REPRESENTS A BIT OF THE PERSONAL STORY FOR EACH MEMBER. THE ED TEAM IS A COHESIVE GROUP, FULL OF STORIES THAT ADD TO THE UNIQUE QUALITIES OF EACH PERSON. The Ed Team was a concept that emerged for CALF in the late 1980s. It began when Tim LaSalle (6), then president and CEO of the foundation, invited core faculty from each of the campuses to meet together in Templeton, the site of the foundation’s office at the time. Since those early years, the Ed Team has grown to include alumni who provide a direct link to major stakeholders for the program. Along the way, the working relationships have become a significant source of vitality for the educational program and have allowed it to flourish through changes and challenges. Over three days at the end of June 2021, the Ed Team came together to undertake a thorough examination of the Ag Leadership Program’s curriculum. The most recent full revision took place in 2012. The group consists of the core faculty from each campus, alumni liaisons, the board of directors and foundation staff.
12 HORIZONS MAGAZINE FALL 2021
The following were in attendance: · Core faculty: Dr. Alex Alexandrou, Fresno State; Dr. Louise Ferguson (30), UC Davis; Dr. Robert Flores, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Dr. Peggy Perry (9), Cal Poly Pomona. The core faculty has expanded to include two new members who are in transition to take over the responsibilities at their respective campuses: Dr. Amanda Crump, UC Davis and Ben Lehan, Cal Poly Pomona. · Alumni Council representatives: Serving as liaisons to the Ed Team are Manpreet Bains (43) and Salvador Parra (46). · Staff: Supporting the work of the Ed Team are CALF Executive Vice President Abby Taylor-Silva (45) and Programs Manager Judy Sparacino. The setting for the retreat could not have been more inviting. Past Board Chair Loren Booth (27) hosted the group, as she’s done in the past. The venue provided space to work in a relaxed setting and opportunities to prepare meals together. An additional bonus this year was having Dr. Pat Lattore spend an entire morning with the group. He provided background on the curriculum from his soon-to-be-published book, “How We Grow Leaders.” Lattore was one of the architects of the current framework for the program’s curriculum. He was present in the mid-1990s when the curriculum was undergoing a transformation. Lattore presented a helpful reiteration of concepts to the seasoned members of the Ed Team and he delivered an insightful introduction to the Diamond Model of Leadership for those new to the team. He gave advice on how to effectively teach some of these topics and addressed the manner in which the stages of learner readiness are matched with appropriate content at just the right time. The other important endeavor at the retreat was the deep review of individual seminars with the aim of incorporating strategies outlined in the new CALF strategic plan. Reviewing the curriculum
