Democracy Then & Now: Angus Murphy Presents "The Unifying Role of the Land-Grant University in 21st Century America"
Angus Murphy: Professor and Chair, Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland presents "The unifying role of the Land-grant University in 21st century America."
Access to institutions that are dedicated to providing education and opportunity to all citizens is a global aspiration; the realization of this aspiration in the form of the Land-grant university is arguably one of Americaâs most important and lasting achievements. Rooted in the core values expressed by the Founders and in the 19th-century notion that training in agricultural, mechanical, and military arts was the most useful starting point for working class and disenfranchised citizens, the Land-grant universities provided technical training that drove the expansion of industrial innovation and created modern agriculture. But with the exposure of the hypocrisy of promises of equal access and opportunity thwarted by racism and sexism, the Land-grant institutions were forced to transform themselves and acknowledge the necessary inclusiveness of their mission. In the 21st century, a focus on the original concept of providing equal opportunity is likely to be the greatest contribution of Land-grant institutions.
