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Cooperative Extension associate ignites high school students’ interest in science, protecting water supplies

In his book, “The Tipping Point,” Malcolm Gladwell coined the term "connector," referring to “a handful of people with a truly extraordinary knack [... for] making friends and acquaintances." Connectors are, according to Gladwell, able to galvanize others and possess “... a special gift for bringing the world together.”

Erin Ling is just such a person.

The Virginia Cooperative Extension associate and coordinator of the Virginia Household Water Quality Program in the Virginia Tech Department of Biological Systems has a unique ability to draw connections between ideas, concepts, and people who, by coming together in partnership, spark new possibilities. This is just what she did when she met Rachelle Rasco ’92, the STEM agriculture lab manager for Carroll County High School, during a teachers program nearly four years ago. Read more