OSU’s growing and belonging are essential to the success of the Oregon State University Extension Master Gardener™ Program. We subscribe to a philosophy of personal and communal growth—in our gardens and ourselves. We offer programs and services that welcome and serve Oregonians interested in gardening, regardless of their income or education level, physical or cognitive ability, age, race/ethnicity, or any other protected aspect of their identities. Our approach to growing and belonging is detailed on our program news blog.
What are the Growing & Belonging requirements for trainees?
Every Master Gardener volunteer must complete the short course An Introduction to Inclusive Excellence in Extension. You can register for this course HERE.
This course of four brief modules introduces OSU Extension volunteers to key principles and practices within Extension. They include:
- some of OSU Extension’s complex history, including the land grab that originally funded the state’s Extension Service
- why it’s important to not only consider multiple and diverse perspectives, but also to reflect on your own experiences and think critically about your own perspectives
- how OSU Extension defines and approaches equity and inclusion
- why OSU Extension programs must design their offerings to achieve demographic parity—meaning that the demographics of program participants approximately match the demographics of the population of the county where the program takes place
- specific strategies that support equity and inclusion in our work
This excellent short course also provides examples and scenarios that are highly relevant to our work in the Master Gardener volunteer program.
How is this reported?
Answer the quiz questions at the end of the Growing & Belonging online module. They will also upload their certificate of completion from the Introduction to Inclusive Excellence in Extension. There are step-by-step instructions in the module for how to do this.
What are the Growing & Belonging requirements for returning volunteers?
Every returning Master Gardener volunteer must pursue annually at least one hour of continuing education focused on Growing & Belonging. If they have not taken the Introduction to Inclusive Excellence mini course, they should.
- In recent years, volunteers used Ideal-Logic to sign up for the Master Gardener Volunteer training course, so most volunteers should be familiar with it. If, however, volunteers need technical assistance in registering for the Inclusive Excellence course, they can view these registration instructions.
How is this reported?
This should be entered in VRS (in a new category that should be created for Growing and Belongingin the near future) within the continuing education page. It will be a dropdown menu. Volunteers will provide a 50-75-word summary of their selected training in the “description” field of VRS of how the CE opportunity aligns with being a Master Gardener volunteer.
When is this to be completed?
Returning volunteers should be encouraged to complete this training towards the beginning of their volunteer year, so that they may benefit from it during their year of volunteering. It must be completed by the end of year VRS submission.
Possible assignments for returning volunteers
The Culture of Gardening: This blog is a storytelling initiative of the OSU Extension Master Gardener volunteer program. Here, we share and amplify the voices of gardeners growing plants to connect with their heritage, culture, and identity.
Racial and Social Justice in Oregon’s Master Gardener Program: How to Respond to Critical Comments: This blog post provides answers to some of the most common questions and criticisms that we have heard, when embracing diversity, equity, and inclusivity work within the OSU Extension Master Gardener volunteer program.
Racial Justice + Master Gardeners: Biodiversity in the garden means the people too: The first blog post about the importance of embracing racial and social justice within Extension Master Gardener programs. Note additional reading options in this article.
Land-grab University: Expropriated Indigenous land is the foundation of the land-grant university systemLinks to an external site.: This investigative news article, published in High Country News, details the expropriation of indigenous land, siphoned through the Morrill Act, to found the Land Grant University system in the United States.
Indigenous Knowledge and Climate Resilience – with Dr. Cristina Eisenberg: This zoom recording is a presentation given to Metro area Master Gardener volunteers in November, 2024. Dr. Eisenberg is Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence, Maybelle Clark Macdonald Director of Tribal Initiatives in Natural Resources at OSU.
Tribal History/Shared HistoryLinks to an external site.: In 2017, the Oregon Legislature enacted Senate Bill (SB) 13, now known as Tribal History/Shared History. This law directs the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to create K-12 Native American Curriculum for inclusion in Oregon public schools and provide professional development to educators. This website has extensive resources and links to Oregon Department of Education’s lesson plans, videos, educator tool kits, and a map, relating to the history, knowledge, and practices of Oregon’s indigenous people and tribes.
A View From HereLinks to an external site.: An essay by Jennifer Jewell, about systemic racism in horticulture, and what gardeners can do to support gardeners of color and others who have been historically marginalized in the gardening world.
Why Every Environmentalist Should be Anti-Racist: An essay in Vogue, detailing how environmental and health crises disproportionately affect communities of color.
A History of Oregon, its Communities, and OSU: This module was produced by OSU’s Office of Institutional Diversity. It provides important context for working with and in Oregon’s many communities, as well as OSU’s commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusivity.
How Does Racial and Social Justice Relate to the Master Gardener ProgramLinks to an external site.: A presentation given to the National Extension Master Gardener Coordinators group by Gail Langellotto (OSU Professor of Horticulture and Extension Community and Urban Horticulture Extension Specialist) and LeAnn Locher (OSU Extension Master Gardener Program Outreach Coordinator).
Presentation by Abra Lee: “The Work is in Our Hands”: Abra Lee was the inaugural keynote speaker in our Culture of Gardening series. Her 2020 presentation highlighted the accomplishments of black gardeners and garden clubs, during the Civil Rights era in the United States.
Where are Portland’s Heat IslandsLinks to an external site.: this short video details the work of PSU Professor Vivek Shandas, who showed how tree canopy cover and greenspace in urban landscapes is directly related to urban heat islands, and heat-related illness. Dr. Shandas and his team were able to show why and how some areas of the city were more prone to development (and urban heat islands), while others retained greenspace and landscaping that provide protection from urban heat.
Additional Resources to Explore
OSU’s Office of Institutional Diversity: The Office of Institutional Diversity’s mission is to plan, lead, and implement, in collaboration with university partners, institutional change actions and initiatives to advance diversity, equity and inclusion throughout all facets of Oregon State University.
OSU Extension Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Unit: Extension and Engagement’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) unit supports the development of safe, welcoming, and effective Extension programs, and environments. Their website details the services that they offer, including language access programs.
OSU Outdoor School: OSU’s Outdoor School is an Extension program that guides and supports equitable, culturally responsive, and interdisciplinary outdoor school programs for Oregon’s youth. They have an excellent resource library to support diversity, equity, and inclusion.
OSU’s Disability Access Services: This office is primarily set up to serve OSU students and instructors. However, Extension professionals and volunteers often seek guidance from OSU DAS when planning events to ensure that the events are accessible to everyone. Extension faculty/staff can request American Sign Language interpreters through this office.
