Primary and emerging areas of focus are identified through various stakeholder groups, supported through campus and national networks, and approached through multi-disciplinary teams and resources.
Health and Wellness in the City
Our lifespan is determined by our genetic makeup, our behaviors, and the environment in which we live. While our genetic code is fixed, we can change our behaviors and our immediate surroundings. OSU Extension has nationally recognized programs that help people make healthy choices and catalyze the creation of healthy homes, schools, workplaces, and communities. Extension empowers Ohioans with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to produce healthy people, relationships, and finances at every stage of life.
Job Skills and Careers
A commitment to lifelong learning is critical to remaining relevant in one’s chosen field of work. The programs of OSU Extension not only help individuals acquire the skills they need in their current jobs, but those they will need in the future positions to which they aspire.
Thriving Across the Lifespans in the City
From infancy to later life, OSU Extension is committed to helping individuals flourish within families and the various social structures in which they live. Perhaps most notably, Ohio 4-H uses a youth development approach to help young people develop characteristics that build a foundation for a positive adulthood. The OSU Extension 4-H Youth Development program offers educational opportunities in a variety of settings for youth ages 5-19. Each young person “learns by doing” through hands-on, experiential projects. Whether it’s 4-H Agri-science in the City, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) project, Youth Outdoors, or other program, youth learn leadership, citizenship, and other life skills.
Sustainable Food Systems in the City
A sustainable food system benefits producers, protects the environment, and feeds a growing world population. Meanwhile, changing consumer preferences continually influence the type of products that producers are expected to bring to market. OSU Extension brings science-based information to the process of making decisions about food and the way it is produced, processed, distributed, stored, prepared, and consumed. Ohio communities are making this a catalyst for urban neighborhood redevelopment. Agriculture is a critical part of any sustainability effort because it can have profound effects on the environment, human health, society, and food security.
Engaged Ohians, Vibrant Communities
A sustainable food system benefits producers, protects the environment, and feeds a growing world population. Meanwhile, changing consumer preferences continually influence the type of products that producers are expected to bring to market. OSU Extension brings science-based information to the process of making decisions about food and the way it is produced, processed, distributed, stored, prepared, and consumed. Extension engages public and private leaders in community vitality connections and development throughout the rural-urban continuum.
Environmental Quality
OSU Extension programs help people make informed choices and lead local efforts aimed at maintaining or improving environmental quality for future generations. Through their involvement in these programs, participants gain a greater understanding of their role in a global community and become stewards of the planet.
City - Area Leaders in Ohio's Largest Cities
City Area Leaders is a group of the area leaders in the largest cities in Ohio. They work on continuing to develop new partnerships within their cities, as well as form new partnerships that can benefit all program areas. Working through an interdisciplinary lens, the City Area Leaders working group is able to further Extension’s reach within Ohio’s large urban regions.