Land grant universities share ideas

Community outreach leaders from historically black land grant universities say they can create better programs to help underserved communities, and probably land more federal grant money, if they work together.

Representatives from the country's so-called 1890 land grant universities, most of which are in the South, gathered in Charleston this week to brainstorm about ways to improve programs and leverage federal grants.

Land grant universities were launched in the late 1800s with the passing of federal land to states to endow the schools. The universities were to focus on the teaching of more practical skills, such as agriculture, science and engineering, instead of the prevailing classical studies.

A group of land grant universities serving predominately white students was launched in 1862. South Carolina's Clemson University falls into that group. Land grant universities to serve black students were launched in 1890. South Carolina State University is the state's only school in that group, which consists of 18 historically black institutions.

Delbert Foster, the extension administrator at S.C. State, said that today the state's two land grant schools work together on various projects.

L. Washington Lyons, executive administrator of the Association of Extension Administrators, said the 1890 schools' primary missions are conducting research and bringing university knowledge and resources to the community. He said the group meeting in Charleston through today focuses on the latter mission in four priority areas: small minority farmers, families and consumers, 4-H and other youth programs, and community economic development.

"We're the people who take the programs of the university to the people," he said.

Many community outreach efforts are paid for with grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, he said. But universities also can apply for grants from other federal departments.

Examples of the kind of collaborative efforts attendees at this week's meeting might discuss are: developing a curriculum to combat childhood obesity, creating a plan to help farmers avoid business risks and helping to improve the economic viability of communities.

Foster said the university places equal emphasis on all four priority areas. The idea, he said, is to bring knowledge and skills from the university to underserved communities. It's also to expose young people to various educational options.

"Land grant schools were created to allow educational access to the masses," he said.

Reach Diane Knich at 937-5491 or dknich@postandcourier.com.