We often think of the impact of Extension in terms of the direct contacts we have with our clientele.   But we can overlook how what people learn through Extension carries on with a person even after they have moved on to other pursuits.  This long-term impact of my Extension program Kentucky: By The Numbers is a good example of this.  In 2025, I was nominated for (and received) the M.D. Whitaker Award for Excellence in Extension from the Kentucky Association of State Extension Professionals.  It was in the nomination letters that I learned how two different individuals previously associated with Extension had used Kentucky: By The Numbers in their subsequent jobs and the impacts it had.

One person recounted: “Kentucky by the Numbers played a pivotal role in identifying the need for programs like Critical Ongoing Resource Family Education (CORE TEENS), which were later implemented statewide. Her data also informed the integration of equitable practices in child welfare and the development of curricula aimed at enhancing parental capacity, strengthening families, and fostering community and economic growth.”  

Another person noted that “Dr. Zimmerman’s Kentucky: By the Numbers publications played a pivotal role in Brushy Fork’s People-Ready Communities program… [providing] the foundation for the “Data Walk” process, an interactive exercise that enabled community leaders from four rural counties in eastern Kentucky to engage with local data, critically assess their community’s needs and opportunities, and develop informed strategies for addressing those challenges. The impact of this resource was profound. Leaders used the data to have rich, informed conversations about the disparities facing their communities, identify areas of growth, and discuss the trends affecting the well-being of their residents.”

While we often think of direct impacts, it was through the award process that I learned how my Extension program has had impacts for residents of the state that extended far beyond having direct impacts with Extension clientele.