Margaret Bethel Named Interim Director of MSU Extension

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EAST LANSING, Mich. – Fred Poston, dean of the Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR), has named Margaret (Maggie) Bethel interim director of MSU Extension.
 
Additionally, Ray Hammerschmidt, professor of plant pathology and associate chair in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, was named interim associate director of MSU Extension. 

Bethel will replace Thomas Coon, MSU Extension director for the past decade, who is the new president, dean and director for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Oklahoma State University.

Hammerschmidt will replace Stephen Lovejoy, associate director of MSU Extension. Lovejoy will be leaving his role and will retain his faculty appointments in the departments of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics; Epidemiology and Biostatistics; and Sociology. He is interested in pursuing other responsibilities within the university.

Bethel, who served as MSU Extension director from 2001 to 2005, was invited out of retirement to lead MSU Extension on a temporary basis, Poston said. Bethel and Hammerschmidt begin working in their new roles on July 1.