I noticed today that the Virginia Tech website has a feature story celebrating 150 years since the signing of the Morrill Act, which established land-grant universities in the U.S.  Land-grants were designed to provide practical education to the masses (not just the elite) and focus research on agricultural and mechanical needs of society.  I have interest in these types of universities, in particular, their mandate to provide access to higher education for the community through engagement, extension, and outreach.  While the needs of society have changed over the last 150 years, the role of land-grants, in my opinion, remains crucial to answering applied research questions that have relevance to our daily lives.