Courtney Loflin Honored with Award for International Work

Courtney Loflin, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension 4-H youth development specialist, was recognized Sept. 26 with the F. A. Anderson Distinguished Service Award, which is given each year to a Colorado State Cooperative Extension professional who works on Colorado State’s campus.

Loflin, who has worked in Fort Collins with Colorado State 4-H programs since 1991, coordinates international exchange programs for Colorado including the international 4-H Youth Exchange, or IFYE program. This includes placing Colorado youth with families around the world and placing youth from other countries with Colorado families for temporary stays designed to share cultures and learning experiences among young adults. Loflin also coordinates adult and family exchange programs, particularly with Japan.

Loflin works to expose youth to global citizenship responsibilities and international awareness in the current interdependent world while helping youth to increase their self-esteem, confidence and leadership skills in addition to their language and communication skills.

"It is a pleasure to recognize Courtney’s work towards shaping youth – tomorrow’s leaders – with cultural appreciation and understanding," said Milan Rewerts, Colorado State Cooperative Extension director. "Over more than a decade, Courtney has fostered understanding and friendships among youth and adults from around the world."

Within this role, Loflin coordinates budgets, hotel and transportation arrangements, family screening, participant selection, orientation, evaluation, promotion and activities with a myriad of Cooperative Extension professionals, volunteers, youth, partner organizations, committees and government agencies. She instills positive attitudes about different cultures and skills in youth while providing a rich, educational experience for youth from other countries who visit Colorado and for youth from Colorado visiting foreign nations.

Of her work, Loflin said: "I believe that is it absolutely critical to learn about other cultures in order to understand your own. Only through participation in exchange experiences that foster the learning and understanding of others will we have a hope of world peace."

Past recognitions of Loflin’s work include 10 consecutive years as an Award of Excellence recipient from the 4-H Japanese Exchange Program; the Achievement in Service Award and the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents.