Utah State University President Brad Mortensen has named Justen Smith as the vice president of USU Extension following a nationwide search. Smith has served as the interim vice president since March and has worked as an extension professional for 27 years.
According to a university press release, Smith has served as the department head of the USU Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Department for nine years. During his career, he has secured more than $11 million in grants and external funding for Extension initiatives and agricultural development. He also led efforts to secure $1.2 million for the construction of the USU Extension building in Davis County.
Smith has worked in 24 countries across Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, providing technical assistance to farmers and agricultural organizations. His professional experience includes roles as a county agriculture faculty member in Tooele County, an area livestock and rangeland faculty for Washington State University, and a 4-H and agriculture faculty in Davis County.
Smith stated his goal is to increase awareness and understanding of Extension so Utahns can benefit from its programs. He noted that the organization is uniquely positioned to address challenges by connecting university expertise with the needs of communities across the state.
