Janice A. Seitz, Ph.D.

Associate Dean for Extension and Outreach and Director of Cooperative Extension

University of Delaware

May 2003, Janice Seitz assumed the position of Associate Dean and Director of Cooperative Extension, University of Delaware. In this role, she provides leadership for Extension programming in a wide range of areas including agriculture, community/economic development, family and consumer sciences, food and nutrition, 4-H youth development, horticulture and water and soil quality.

Jan came to the position at UD having served as Assistant Dean and Director, University of Illinois Extension 4-H Youth Development. In this role, she provided overall leadership, direction and long-range program development for the Illinois 4-H program. She also served as liaison to the United States Department of Agriculture/Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service(CSREES)/Families, 4-H and Nutrition and the National 4-H Council. In 2000, she was appointed by CSREES to chair the National 4-H Name and Emblem Task Force. She also represented the North Central region on the National 4-H Youth Development Leadership Trust. During her more than six years as Director of Illinois 4-H, enrollment increased from 209,000 to more than 412,000 youth and adult volunteer leaders and the 4-H youth development staff grew from 22 to 94.

Jan holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Bowling Green State University in Ohio and a special education credential from San Francisco State University. Following a 17 year teaching career in the public schools, as both a regular classroom and special education teacher, she completed both a master’s degree and Ph.D. in leadership development, youth development and programming for youth from special populations at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Jan was a professor/director of graduate program in the College of Education at the UIUC from 1991-97.

Jan has received numerous awards during her career including being named Outstanding Young Woman of the Year, Illinois Master Teacher and one of six finalists for Illinois Teacher of the Year. As an assistant professor and Director of the Leadership Development Program (LDP), College of Education, UIUC, she received: the “1994-95 University of Illinois Award for Excellence in Extramural Teaching”; the “1995 Outstanding Faculty/Administrator Award” from the National University Continuing Education Association; “1996 Distinguished Service Award” from the American Vocational Education Personnel Development Association and the “Dream Catcher Award” for establishing a volunteer mentor program for youth in Champaign and Ford counties (in May 2003, she received the Starfish Award created in her honor for launching this program). In the spring of 1998, Jan received the University of Illinois Mother’s Association “Bronze Medallion Award” for using her skills to make a difference in the lives of others. In April 2003, she was honored with the College of Education Distinguished Alumni Award for “Significant Impact.” Upon her retirement from the UIUC, the Illinois 4-H Foundation established the “Janice A. Seitz 4-H Character Education Endowment Fund.” In May 2003, Jan received the Honorary State FFA Degree from the Illinois Association FFA. During the more than six years Jan served as Director of the LDP, she was ranked as “excellent” by her students (both undergraduate and graduate) for every course taught at the UIUC. Jan has published in refereed journals and has made presentations at numerous state and national conferences. Her dramatic portrayal (in 1800 clothing) of Ann Sullivan – Helen Keller’s teacher – has become a favorite of audiences in Illinois and elsewhere.