College Relations and Communications. College of Ag Sciences Our Land-Grant Mission Education—A Reputation for Excellence Extension—Trusted, Relevant,

College Relations and CommunicationsCollege Relations and Communications

College Relations and Communications

College of Ag Sciences

• Our Land-Grant Mission• Education—A Reputation for Excellence• Extension—Trusted, Relevant, Timely• Research—Science-Based Solutions• Stakeholder Groups—Support for Our College


Our Land-Grant Mission

To create, analyze, and share knowledge that improves the lives of people in Pennsylvania, the nation and the world


Signed into law by President Lincoln in 1862, the Morrill Act established the land-grant system to meet the growing demand for agricultural and technical education in the United states. It was later supplemented by the Hatch Act of 1887 and the Smith-Lever Act of 1914.

Our Land-Grant Mission


Our Land-Grant MissionAs Pennsylvania’s only land-grant university, Penn State influences millions of lives across the Commonwealth and provides:

• Accessible and affordable education for undergraduate and graduate students

• A national system of agricultural research stations• A national cooperative extension service that disseminates

science-based knowledge into every community


A Strong TraditionThe first of the colleges established at Penn State, the College of Agricultural Sciences:

• Awarded the nation’s first baccalaureate degrees in agriculture in 1861.

• Consists of 9 academic units and 67 cooperative extension offices, one in each of Pennsylvania’s counties.


Education—A Reputation for Excellence

Training the next generation of scientists, business leaders, and civic and community leaders

• Our current enrollment of approximately 3,000 students study nature and science, environment and research, and engineering and leadership along with agriculture-specific topics.

• Our reputation for educational excellence in dairy and animal sciences, food safety, and landscape contracting is legendary—serving as national models.


Education for the FutureOur programs cover a broad range of needs in food and fiber systems, natural resources and environmental stewardship, and the improvement of economic and social well-being.


Our students can choose from nineteen majors, four two-year programs, and twenty-four minors, and can begin their education at any of Penn State’s twenty-four campuses.


Undergraduate students have the opportunity to expand their experiences by working with their professors on a variety of student research opportunities.


Our facilities are as unique as our fields of study—our students work in state-of the art laboratories and research farms and utilize Pennsylvania’s abundant streams, forests, and wetlands as outdoor living classrooms.


A World of Possibility

Unique resources and opportunities available to our students:• $2 million in both merit and need-based scholarships• Internship opportunities through an extensive internship database • Global perspective through international programs that introduce

them to innovative policies and practices in other countries• More than 30 clubs and student organizations geared toward their

professional interests


For nearly one hundred years, Penn State Extension has been translating cutting-edge University research into practical knowledge to help Pennsylvanians.

Extension—Trusted, Relevant, Timely


• Funded by the U.S. Dept. of Ag and state and county governments

• Delivers Penn State expertise directly to your community to assess and address the social, educational, and physical needs of the citizens throughout the state

• Collaborates with individuals, organizations, agencies, and local governments to ensure the info we deliver to your community is timely, relevant, and useful

Penn State Extension


Driven by our founding land-grant mission, the college invests more than $97 million in research and graduate study yearly.

Research—Science-Based Solutions


• Whether it’s investigating the collapse of honey bee colonies or developing energy for the future, research in the college addresses both near-term and long-term issues.

• Our current research priorities include issues of environmental balance and sustainability, bioenergy, food safety, and pest prediction.

• Our long-established expertise in animal health, reproductive biology, and specialty crops continues to grow and improve the foundations of agriculture.

Research—Science-Based Solutions


The College of Agricultural Sciences is committed to providing high-quality graduate programs to train the next generation of academics and industry and government professionals.

From the Classroom to the Field


• Each year, the college enrolls nearly 600 graduate students from all over the world in our 17 graduate program areas.

• We support more than 240 active student and faculty research projects addressing the critical issues of profitability, environmental impact, youth development, health and safety, resource utilization, conservation, and aesthetics.

Graduate Education


From livestock and domestic fowl facilities and our three regional specialty crop research centers to our 13,800 acres of research forests and farmland, our researchers work in a wide span of facilities tailored to their focus areas.

Research Facilities


• Penn State Ag Council—provides opportunities for industry members to stay informed of college activities and give their feedback.

• Penn State Extension Council—provides opportunities for county-based stakeholders to participate in college advisory and advocacy efforts.

• Ag Alumni Society—8,000 members strong, the society provides programs for alumni of all ages and keeps them actively connected to the college.

Our Major Stakeholder Groups


Sign up for news releases, listen to Penn State Ag Sciences Radio and podcasts, subscribe to Penn State Agriculture magazine and more on our college news homepage: agsci.psu.edu/news

Stay Informed

Documents

College Relations and Communications. College of Ag Sciences Our Land-Grant Mission Education—A Reputation for Excellence Extension—Trusted, Relevant,