History

The University of Nebraska is a Land Grant University founded in 1869. It has a long tradition of producing high quality research and education that benefits Nebraskans. The Land Grant University is one of the great success stories in higher education. Created by the Morrill Act of 1862, these institutions made a college education widely available to ordinary citizens and created a pragmatic model that provided research, teaching and engagement that made a strong contribution to the economy of the 20th century. This model is primarily responsible for America's abundant food production capacity and its understanding of wise natural resource management.

In 2002, in order to provide new approaches to assist citizens in responding to the profound changes impacting all of society, and particularly nonmetropolitan regions, the University of Nebraska created the Rural Initiative. The Initiative works with all four campuses of the University and is housed in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources in Lincoln, reporting to the Vice Chancellor and Vice President of IANR.