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The service mission of the University of Georgia has its
roots in the mid-nineteenth century, when the school reconfigured
itself to meet the needs of a changing society and economy.
The land-grant university tradition, anchored in the Morrill
Act of 1862, strengthened that commitment and introduced the
concept that state-supported higher education should be broadly
accessible to all classes of Americans.
Outreach at UGA is defined as the extension of the university’s
resources in the form of professional knowledge and expertise
to help communities improve their quality of life. During
more than a century of service to Georgia, UGA has expanded
and diversified to keep pace with changes within the state.
Our service units and public service faculty in the colleges
and schools provide resources relating to economic development,
K-12 education, leadership development, continuing professional
education, and training and research for state agencies.
Through faculty and staff placed in all of Georgia’s
159 counties, UGA’s public service and outreach programs
have reached virtually every community in the state. Continuing
professional education in fiscal year 2002 exceeded 1.5 million
contact hours, and other programs and workshops have benefited
many thousands of people across Georgia. International outreach
programs continue to expand, with UGA faculty providing service
activities in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Central and South
America.
The vision of public service and outreach at UGA continues
to be transformed by innovative technologies that enhance
the delivery of services, from disease diagnosis to homeland
security. The knowledge generated by faculty at UGA is translated
by those in public service and outreach into a thousand practical
uses, from introducing governments and businesses to new technologies
to improving the nutritional practices of low-income citizens,
that enhance the quality of life of the millions who now live
in Georgia, plus many groups beyond the state’s borders.
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