ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Community leaders and administrators from South Carolina State University's 1890 Research & Extension Program officially cut the ribbon, opening the school's administrative and community outreach center.
The new two-story, 14,000 square-foot building includes six classrooms, each equipped with state-of-the-art technology for collaborative presentation and training. The facility also features a leadership conference room, computer lab and houses administrative offices for 1890 staff. The new building will be used to provide community training, programs and outreach services and will be available for public use.
The $3.3 million facility was awarded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 1890 Facilities Grant Program to fund the project.
1890 refers to the Second Morrill Act of 1890, a provision passed by the US Congress that inspired the creation of the nation’s 17 historically black land-grant colleges, also known as 1890 institutions. SC State is a land-grant institution.
According to the school's history, the First and Second Morrill Acts are the foundations on which the university was established. South Carolina State University was first created in 1872 in compliance with the 1862 Morrill Land Grant Act, when the South Carolina General Assembly created the South Carolina Agricultural and Mechanical Institute in 1872 in Orangeburg. This institute existed within the institution of Claflin College, now Claflin University, from 1872 until 1896.
Under the 1890 Morrill Land Grant Act, the South Carolina General Assembly enacted legislation in 1895 for the severance of the South Carolina Agricultural and Mechanical Institute, from Claflin College.
On March 4, 1896, SC State University opened independent of Claflin College as a land-grant institution under the name of the Colored Normal Industrial Agricultural and Mechanical College of South Carolina. The name was changed to South Carolina State College in 1954. The school received university status in 1992 and adopted its present name, South Carolina State University. The university is one of two land-grant universities in South Carolina. Clemson University is the state’s 1862 institution.
Attending the July 10 ceremony, Dr. Louis Whitesides, executive director of 1890, said "The opening of the new facility is a tangible reminder of the investment the state of South Carolina, USDA and the university continues to make for the citizens of South Carolina. Community service is part of our mission at 1890, and the new facility will bolster the support for us in continuing to offer cutting-edge research and groundbreaking programs to affect the lives of those we serve in the community.”
The services and outreach programs offered through the facility to the community will align with 1890 Research & Extension program areas including: 4H Youth Development, Small Business and Economic Development, Family, Nutrition and Health, Education Innovation and Support, Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Development.
