In this exhibit you can learn about the new system of higher education created by the Morrill Act of 1862, which used proceeds from Native lands in the West to fund agricultural and mechanical colleges throughout the United States. By Kenny Barnes.
VIRGINIA TECH'S FUTURE AS A GLOBAL LAND-GRANT UNIVERSITY
"The world will be our campus..."- President Tim Sands, 2017 State of the University Address
Virginia Tech’s mission as a land-grant university has expanded since its inception in 1872. Now offering about 280 degree programs across nine colleges, Virginia Tech remains guided and inspired by it’s land-grant identity and its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve). Originally serving the needs of Virginia's working class, the university’s reach is now far more expansive. Research, study abroads, and other initiatives have made Virginia Tech a globally engaged university for much of the past century. Now, as Virginia Tech nears its 150th anniversary, the University is working to transform itself from a globally engaged university, to a leading global university. One which will serve as a destination for the top research talent in the world and produce graduates prepared to meet and solve the challenges of today.
In 2015, President Tim Sands and the VT community launched Beyond Boundaries, challenging the Virginia Tech community to look towards the future of the university, “without constraints of today’s perspectives and perceived barriers.” The realization of Virginia Tech as a global land-grant university is among the visions of Beyond Boundaries. In this process, the university is working to prepare students with the knowledge, skills, and experience for success in the global economy. Virginia Tech exposes students to cutting edge technology and research, and provides them the experience they will need in the shifting circumstances of societies globally. The broadening of the university's reach will also help address social inequalities, and help bring technology, and high level research and training to new societies and economies. As a global land-grant, Virginia Tech “has obligations to promote a global exchange of ideas in teaching, research, and engagement that remain grounded in the Morrill Act’s founding missions of supporting underserved places, advancing community-centered prosperity, and expanding access.”
Indeed, Virginia Tech remains inspired by the ideals of the original Morrill Act. While its mission has evolved, the university remains committed to serving as “an engine for social and economic mobility.” In recent years, the university has made great strides to recruit students from underserved and underrepresented communities both domestically and internationally. According to President Sands, the university is close to reaching its goal of having 40% of its entering classes consist of low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students by 2022.
