Investing in the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design
The Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design: A State of Minds
O
ver the next 40 years, the world will need
Our research ranges from very local to global
to increase food production by 70 percent
in scope and promotes the sustainable use
to feed its growing population. More people, of
of natural, renewable, and human resources,
course, also means more housing and greater
and the advancement of design, for the
demand on natural resources, such as trees and
improvement of the human and natural worlds.
clean water. All of this must be accomplished
It’s imperative that we continue this
with no additional land or water, and lots more
work—and succeed—if we want not only our
people. Innovative design must drive new ideas
state but also our world to prosper. We must
from science to application—from the way we
educate the next generation of West Virginia
live to the breakthroughs we seek.
University students, equipping them with
Talk about a challenge: At the WVU Davis
the skills necessary to effect change. But we
College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and
can’t do it alone. Answering these challenges
Design, we’re meeting it.
requires bringing together many minds—the
Part of the state’s flagship, land-grant
intellect and ideas of students, faculty, and
university, we are discovering, designing, and
staff and the passion and support of alumni
developing new products and processes to
and friends. It’s a chance for us all to make
address these very real needs. We’re teaching
a difference—to create a lasting legacy of
the next generation of thinkers and doers.
accomplishment and impact.
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The Trajectory of Success
units: animal and nutritional sciences, design and
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To fulfill this ambitious mission, we must be
merchandising, forestry and natural resources,
good stewards of our own resources. The Davis
plant and soil sciences, and resource management.
College has 3,425 acres of farmland and 8,134 acres
Our reach extends far beyond campus: Davis
of forest, as well as a new greenhouse and a wide
College students and faculty can be found in every
range of discipline-specific laboratories. All of these
county of the state and every corner of the globe.
assets give undergraduate and graduate students
The Davis College is at an exciting point in its history. With a new dean in place; a University strategic plan that emphasizes
an opportunity to learn beyond the classroom and facilitate valuable service to the community. Our faculty is involved in path-breaking
science, technology, engineering, and math,
research in everything from developing
he Davis College of Agriculture, Natural
as well as their relation to the humanities and
new crops to addressing world hunger, from
Resources and Design is the University’s
social sciences; and a strong research agenda
sustainable design in homes, businesses, and
oldest academic unit. In fact, WVU opened its doors
that emphasizes sustainability in all areas, the
communities, to novel recycling processes and
in 1867 as the West Virginia Agricultural College.
Davis College has never been more important or
biomass applications—and much more.
T
better poised to make a difference. From design
These innovations hold promise to improve
maintaining our strong roots. We are now one
to nutrition and from forest science to landscape
lives here in West Virginia, across the nation, and
of the largest of the University’s 13 colleges,
management, the College is central to WVU’s
around the world. To realize this promise, however,
offering 22 undergraduate majors, 17 master’s
mission of advancing the well-being of the people
we need alumni, friends, and supporters, like you,
programs, and seven doctoral degrees in five
and places of West Virginia and beyond.
to invest in the Davis College and its bold purpose.
From there, we’ve grown and flourished while
The Davis College has 3,425 acres of farmland and 8,134 acres of forest, as well as a new greenhouse and a wide range of discipline-specific laboratories. All of these assets give undergraduate and graduate students an opportunity to learn beyond the classroom.
Priorities for Tomorrow
A
t the Davis College, our vision is simple: we will address societal and landscape
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And at the graduate level, we seek partners to enhance fellowships to attract the very best
needs while improving quality of life for
master’s and doctoral candidates—tomorrow’s
people in West Virginia and around the world.
leaders in agriculture, natural resources, and
Through this campaign, we ask you, alumni and
design. The work these students will do will
friends who believe in this vision, to invest in
change lives and energize our world outlook.
the following priorities.
Student Enrichment: We pride ourselves
Student Support
on connecting students with out-of-classroom
Scholarships and Fellowships: Davis
experiences that prepare them for meaningful
College undergraduate students are among
careers. These experiences include study abroad,
WVU’s best, earning academic awards,
internships, local community engagement and
conducting forward-looking research and
service-learning, and research and entrepreneurship
community service, and succeeding in national
activities, among others. These are the kind of high-
competitions. To help these talented students,
impact learning activities that inspire a lifetime
we must provide more scholarships. More
of accomplishment. What more could we want
merit-based and need-based awards will lessen
for our students? We need help in providing these
student borrowing and increase opportunities
opportunities to enhance students’ education and
for them to compete in a global economy.
simultaneously raise the College’s profile. Investment Total: $2.5 Million
Faculty & Outreach Support
Outreach: As part of a land-grant university, the
The new Davis College Building, to replace
Endowed Positions: The Davis College has
Davis College helps West Virginians grow better
the existing Agricultural Sciences Building:
a long tradition of academic excellence and a
crops, develop healthier herds, manage their
WVU has committed to constructing a new home
reputation for outstanding faculty mentoring
forests, and improve their communities. Through
for the College! While this one building will not
and research. To continue this tradition, we
this campaign, we want to strengthen this work.
contain all of the College’s units, it is the first in a
need to add to our stellar faculty by creating
We seek partners to endow positions to coordinate
series of upgrades and expansions that will give the
named professorships and chairs. These are the
outreach activities, fund students and faculty to
College a fitting place to call home—a place that
academic gold standard, key to recruiting and
undertake these projects, and enhance initiatives
will reflect our excellence and intent. As we move
retaining the talented researchers who will fire
like the Hardwood Research Trust, Environmental
into the new building (in 2014) and renovate other
our students’ imaginations.
Research Center, Organic Research Project, and
College spaces, we’ll need additional resources to
Community Design Team, among others.
purchase equipment and technology and create the
Investment Total: $5.25 Million
kinds of spaces that will make us most productive.
to develop and challenge their skills by attending
Research & Teaching Spaces
Upgrading living laboratories and studios:
conferences and using the latest technology. We
Through A State of Minds, like-minded supporters
Investment is needed in farm and forest
seek partners to invest in these experiences, which
can invest in an array of Davis College learning
experiment stations and indoor studios—spaces
come back to benefit students in the classroom
environments. Priorities include:
where students can learn best practices and
Professional Development: For faculty to
remain on the cutting edge, they must continue
and scholars’ professions through discoveries in
research methods and where instructors can
the laboratory, studio, and field.
breathe life into their lessons.
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Technology: We need to provide and maintain
Other spaces: To showcase the bounty of
sure, but we must be ready. That’s why we aim to
cutting-edge 21st-century technology in
the state’s flora and fauna, support is needed
establish a fund to foster forward-thinking programs.
classrooms, laboratories, and studios across all of
to upgrade space within Percival Hall to
This fund would help the new dean encourage
our programs. After all, it is this technology that
house true-to-life exhibits of the West
innovation and address promising opportunities as
students will encounter in the workplace, and
Virginia Natural History Museum. And we
they arise. This will be a fund to help our faculty
we need them to master it before they graduate.
need to develop spaces where innovations,
and students push the boundaries of their work
We want them to be the best from their first day
accomplishments, and historical aspects of all
and thinking, to take measured risks in research,
on the job.
our programs have a place for display, from
development, and design, to ask the questions
fashion and crop plant varieties, to landscape
that live between the disciplines, and to pursue
designs and outdoor adventures.
policy innovations to make our societies work. The
Investment Total: $8.5 Million
Opportunity Fund will be a source to energize the
Greenhouse enhancements: Additional
support is needed to expand classroom and teaching facilities in our new greenhouse and to pursue programs in energy-efficient plant
Opportunity Fund
propagation and invasive pests, among others.
What will the next advances be in agriculture, natural resources, and design? We can’t know for
whole of the Davis College and to help lead WVU to be a model of next-century accomplishment. Investment Total: $500,000
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A State of Minds: Creating Thought Leaders for Tomorrow of our time—housing, food, clean water, good
through this campaign, we will amplify that
use of natural resources, and effective design—in
investment. We hope you’ll invest in this future.
stable, beneficial ways. We must do these things.
We’re looking for contributors and donors with
The Davis College is a place of purpose, 8
similar purpose, with mutual interests, with
filled with people who are poised to seize the
contagious optimism—whether those interests
future. We are already very good at what we
are novel ways to deliver fresh water, develop
do, but achieving excellence requires more. We
sustainable agriculture, or create innovative studio
need to expand programs and opportunities
space that inspires forward-thinking design.
into new realms. We need to “supercharge”
I ask you to join me in supporting A State
learning opportunities, student scholarships, and
of Minds: The Campaign for West Virginia’s
am truly honored to be named dean and look
community engagement. On the faculty side, we
University by making a gift to the Davis College.
forward to joining the outstanding people in,
must encourage ground-breaking research and
Your time, treasure, and talent will help faculty,
and stakeholders of, the Davis College as we
attract more support for these efforts. We must
students, and communities address vital issues,
forge into what is sure to be a dynamic period in
enable our excellent people.
translating innovation into reality in ways that
I
the College’s history. I’ve found an incredible sense of energy here.
The University has brought resources to the table. We have a new College building in
The people and mission of the Davis College are
the works, a new greenhouse ready to go, and a
perfectly aligned to address the great challenges
student body ready to engage. With your help,
will benefit us all. Let’s get going. Daniel J. Robison Dean
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY West Virginia’s healthcare epicenter, its flagship of service, its brain trust. Home to some of the most innovative and forward-thinking minds in the country, WVU serves the world by first serving its state. We have emerged as a leader in solving today’s most complex problems, and we are ready to share our State of Minds with the world. A State of Minds: The Campaign for West Virginia’s University is about investing in the values, ambition, intellect, and mindset that define one of the most exciting universities in the country. With support from alumni, friends, foundations, and partners, West Virginia University will be in a position to lead the national and global dialogue on energy, health, the environment, the economy…and so much more.
West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution.
Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design Office of Development 1168 Agricultural Sciences Building | P.O. Box 6108 | Morgantown, WV 26506-6108 | 304-293-2400 | www.davis.wvu.edu
One Waterfront Place, 7th Floor | P.O. Box 1650 | Morgantown, WV 26507-1650 | 304-284-4000 or 800-847-3856 | www.astateofminds.com