UNL's Morrill Act celebration begins Sunday

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UNL is joining other land-grant universities across the nation to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Act. UNL's "Celebrating 150 Years — Growing a Healthy Future" events open with a Sept. 23 open house at the Agricultural Research and Development Center and continue through Sept. 29.

The Morrill Act created land-grant universities, making education more affordable to all people, educating them in agriculture, home economics, mechanical arts and other professions practical at the time of its passage in 1862. The Morrill Act successfully opened higher education for Americans who previously could not afford to go to college, said Ronnie Green, Harlan vice chancellor of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

"We are excited to celebrate 150 years of growing a healthy future," said Green, who also is University of Nebraska vice president for agriculture and natural resources. "Nebraska should be proud of the advancements made in food, fuel, water and landscapes for the people of our great state and those around the world."

Each day, daily themes and events at UNL and across the state will help tell the land-grant story.

On Sept. 23 from noon-5 p.m., the Agricultural Research and Development Center near Mead will celebrate 50 years of research and education through exhibits, presentations, bus tours, food, fun and learning. Read more at http://go.unl.edu/nd5.
Other Morril Act celebration events include:

Sept. 24

Entrepreneurship and Youth Day, 3 to 6 p.m., East Union — Includes an entrepreneurship fair featuring alumni and current students, and a quick-pitch competition for students for a chance to win an iPad

Sept. 25

Life Sciences Symposium, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., East Union — Featured speakers include Sonny Ramaswamy, director of the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, and Brian Larkins, associate vice chancellor for life sciences. Updates on bioinformatics, life sciences curriculum and phase one of Nebraska Innovation Campus. Question and answer session with UNL administrators Prem Paul, Ronnie Green and Ellen Weissinger. Undergraduate and graduate student life sciences poster competition.

Re-Tree Nebraska tree planting, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., Maxwell Arboretum — Tree planting to recognize American Forests Grant and ReTree Week, includes ice cream from the UNL Dairy Store

Wildlife Encounter, 5 to 8 p.m., Hardin Hall — Experience wildlife of all kinds up close and personal.

Sept. 26

International Day, 3 to 6 p.m., Hardin Hall — Showcase of education abroad tours, international sabbaticals and Fulbright scholars. Foods from around the world will be served.

Sept. 27

Rural Futures Day, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Pinnacle Bank, 210 E. 23rd St., Columbus — Updates from the Rural Futures Conference in May and formal launch of the Rural Futures Institute.

Backyard Farmer 60th Anniversary Celebration, 5 to 9 p.m., Hardin Hall — Experts from the Backyard Farmer television show will answer questions on gardening and landscaping. Displays featured throughout the building. Backyard Farmer merchandise available for purchase. Dairy Store will sell food and ice cream.

Sept. 28

Heuermann Lecture Series featuring former U.S. Secretaries of Agriculture John Block, Dan Glickman, Mike Johanns and Clayton Yeutter, 7:30 p.m., Lied Center for Performing Arts. Lecture will be broadcast live nationally on RFD-TV and Rural TV. Tickets, while free, are required and available at the Lied Center for Performing Arts.

Sept. 29

IANR Tailgate, 3 to 7 p.m., East Union — Free food, festivities and a shuttle ride to the football game with Wisconsin.

A detailed schedule of events is available at http://landgrant.unl.edu.

For more information or for questions, contact Jill Brown, IANR director of external relations at jbrown14@unl.edu or 402-472-2871.

More details at: http://go.unl.edu/ipz