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The Land-Grant System and Cooperative Extension were established to make higher education accessible to all Americans, especially those pursuing careers in agriculture, business, and trades. Prior to the 1860s, universities mainly prepared the wealthy for professions like law, medicine, and ministry.

The Land-Grant system, created by the Morrill Act of 1862, provided federal land to states to fund public colleges focused on practical education. However, the funds were insufficient, prompting the Morrill Act of 1890, which added federal support and included historically black colleges in southern states.

The Hatch Act of 1887 created research stations to support teaching, and the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 established Cooperative Extension. This partnership among federal, state, and county governments aimed to disseminate practical information on agriculture and home economics to the public.

Extension's mission expanded to personal development, helping people manage resources and change in their daily lives. Today, nearly every county in the U.S. has an Extension office, fulfilling the mission of the land-grant institutions.

The West Virginia Extension Master Gardener Program: Welcome and Policies

The West Virginia University Extension Service aims to enhance personal development by empowering individuals to manage their resources and adapt to change. Through education, Extension helps people acquire knowledge, skills, and aspirations. It uses informal, off-campus methods, focused on addressing community needs.

WVU Extension builds partnerships to improve lives and communities across West Virginia, strengthening leaders and families. Its educators and volunteers promote sustainable agriculture, responsible resource use, and natural resource stewardship, working to improve communities, workforce, and the economy.

Operating in all 55 counties, WVU Extension functions as a “mini campus,” offering programs that address diverse community issues. As part of the 105 land-grant universities network, WVU Extension extends WVU’s educational reach to thousands of West Virginians, with faculty members who also serve as Extension agents.

Extension specialists cover areas like agriculture, forestry, horticulture, wildlife, community development, nutrition, 4-H youth programs, and more. WVU Extension educators use expertise from across WVU’s disciplines to tackle local social, economic, and environmental challenges. By working closely with communities, they apply research to solve real-world problems, ensuring knowledge is translated into action.