Anderson retires from NDSU Extension

Donna Anderson, Eddy and Foster County Extension Agent, Family and Community Wellness has announced her retirement date as April 30, 2024, which marks the end of a thirty-one-year Extension career.

Despite being a North Dakota native and a graduate of North Dakota State University, Donna Anderson began her Extension career in 1993, working for the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service. Donna served as Family and Consumer Science and 4-H Agent in rural Taylor County for six years before moving to a more urban setting to serve as 4-H Extension Agent in Muscogee County in 1999 to 2000.

In 2000, Anderson had an opportunity to move her family back to North Dakota and became Eddy and Foster County Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent for NDSU Extension. Besides her work in the counties for family and consumer science issues, Donna spent considerable time working on behalf of youth in the 4-H programs for the state programs and in both counties for contests, fairs, achievement days, fundraising, building committees and grant writing.

Anderson carried out responsibilities for state extension programs, working on program committees such as Food Nutrition and Health and 4-H. Donna served on the 4-H Western Camp committee, aiding in the transition as it became the State 4-H Camp. She worked on the 4-H Camp Building Committee and served as camp chair for many 4-H summer camps. Donna co-chairs State 4-H Communication and Visual Arts Committee and worked to establish a State 4-H Communication Arts Contest, now held during the North Dakota State Fair. She worked on the committee to establish the State 4-H Policy.

Anderson served in the leadership boards of the ND Joint Council of Extension Professionals, Upsilon Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi, and served as vice-president for the ND Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. Most notably, Donna was an active and contributing member of the North Dakota Association of Extension Agents 4-H Youth Workers, serving as vice president, president-elect, president and past president and as a Central Director. Donna has also served as Extension Agent mentor to several Family and Community Science Agents.

Anderson said about her pending retirement, "I carry with me the memories of working with exceptional Extension professionals and the wonderful families and communities that I have served over these many years. It has been a good career and I shall miss my co-workers and the families I have worked with doing the programs and events Extension is known for."

The retirement party will be hosted by Eddy County Extension from 2-4 p.m. on April 24, 2024 at the Eddy County Extension Office located at 205 3rd St. SE, New Rockford, N.D.