Monday was a productive day for MARL as Director of UM Extension Bev Durgen and I met in St. Paul. We discussed ways to continue to use a cooperative model to utilize the strengths of both the UM and SMSU to deliver quality ag and rural leadership programs through MARL. UM Chief Development Officer Matt Musel introduced me to his team and offered helpful ideas.
MARL Alumnus Ruth Meirick set up a MARL display at MN Farm Bureau's Young Farmers and Ranchers Conference last week in Rochester. Ruth reports that MARL Alumni staffed the display and answered questions about MARL and their MARL experiences. Some of the MARL Class VI participants, after completing their MARL Windom Leadership session, drove to Rochester and also helped staff the display. Thanks Ruth for sharing about MARL and engaging MARL Alumni.
Jim Checkel is leading the MARL Alumni Trip Committee and is actively seeking your input on where the MARL Alumni should travel to for the 2013 MARL Alumni Trip. Jim and the MARL Board of Directors have narrowed the choices down to New Zealand and Ireland. You should have received an e-mail from me this past weekend with a Survey Monkey attached. Please take a moment to complete the survey (it is due by Saturday, February 11). If you did not receive the e-mail it is possible that we do not have your correct e-mail address. If that is the case please e-mail me at Dan.Hoffman@SMSU.edu with an updated address.
Thursday provided a great opportunity to represent you and MARL in front of the MN FFA Foundation when they were at the SMSU campus in Marshall for their foundation board meeting. I was able to thank them for their financial contribution to MARL and mentioned I was would be visiting with their Executive Director Val Aarsvold very soon about future collaborative projects between the MN FFA Foundation and MARL.
Last Friday MARL Class VII application packets were mailed to all nominees on file at that time. Thank you for submitting those 225 nominations. This week I have received several more nominations and packets have been mailed to these nominees also. While nominations are welcome at any time please submit them to me by February 15th to allow the nominees time to submit a quality application and get their letters of reference returned before the March 31st application deadline. Applications are located at www.MARLprogram.org and are to be submitted on-line. Check with your nominees to make certain they have received a MARL Class VII application packet and answer any questions they might have about MARL.
In a testament to the importance and quality of the MARL program, MN Pork Producers Association (MPPA) Executive Director David Preisler commented to the MARL Board of Directors that five (5) past MPPA Presidents have graduated from the MARL program.
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