Celebrating our Land-Grant Heritage

This year we celebrate the 150^th anniversary of President Lincoln’s signing of the Morrill Act of 1862 that established the land-grant system of public colleges and universities. This act would later influence the founding of the Agricultural College of Utah –now Utah State University– as Utah’s land-grant university. I had heard the phrase “land-grant university” before, but never really understood what it meant. I certainly do not claim to be an expert now, but I feel like I have gained a little better understanding and a great appreciation for this act that created access to public education across the nation. I also take more pride in the mission statement of USU “to be one of the nation’s premier student-centered land-grant and space-grant universities by fostering the principle that academics come first, by cultivating diversity of thought and culture and by serving the public through learning, discovery and engagement”.

In reflecting about recent events within the department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning over the last month or so I am reminded of how the goals of USU and the land-grant system to serve the public through learning, discovery and engagement have shaped my own education.

The LAEP department once again completed its annual Charrette, which is basically an intensive design workshop. Typically a local project or location is selected as the Charrette topic and students are tasked with producing design solutions to address specific problems and needs. During a one-week period, all LAEP students are divided into teams led by a student leader and each team focuses on one aspect. The process includes interaction with local residents, city council members, and mayors in developing solutions for growth, development and planning issues of an area. After a week of intense teamwork the groups present their ideas to each other and the local community.

This year our Charrette focused on the Bear Lake Region. We divided into 15 teams with topics addressing local and regional issues like growth and development of individual cities, parks, trails/trailheads, open space preservation and of course the lake itself. It was an incredible process as everyone in the department devoted their attention to the issues facing the Bear Lake Region. Through discussion and research we addressed specific concerns of communities and regional groups and produced ideas that we feel will help citizens in that region to recognize the potential the Bear Lake Valley has and how they can play a role in shaping its future. We are excited to take those ideas back to the community in a formal presentation in Garden City on March 28!

The Charrette is a greatly anticipated event each year in LAEP because of the real-world experiences it provides and because it gives us a chance to serve the public as a land-grant institution should: through learning, discovery and engagement.

I invite everyone to check out our final 2012 LAEP Charrette posters for the Bear Lake Region which are hanging up in and around FAV Room 221 through mid March, and I would certainly encourage everyone to stop by the photo exhibit describing USU’s history as a land-grant university located in the Merrill Cazier-Library until March 27^th!

--Allan Perry, Ag Ambassador