A commitment to service
Washington State University is a public research university committed to its land-grant heritage and tradition of service to society.
Leadership
President Kirk H. Schulz has served as the 11th president of Washington State University since 2016.
His annual State of the University address highlights past successes and current priorities, while charting a course for the future.
University leadership
Strategic planning
The university’s 2020-25 strategic plan guides the evolution of its system of campuses. It identifies ways in which WSU can better serve the public good.
Mission
To advance knowledge through creative research and scholarship across a wide range of academic disciplines.
To extend knowledge through innovative educational programs in which emerging scholars are mentored to realize their highest potential and assume roles of leadership, responsibility, and service to society.
To apply knowledge through local and global engagement that will improve quality of life and enhance the economy of the state, nation, and world.
What is a “land-grant” university?
The Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890 answered demand for practical education that was accessible to agricultural and industrial workers. The legislation granted federally controlled land to the states, which states could then sell to fund establishment of “land-grant” colleges. Curricula at land grant institutions served a broad swath of the population by focusing on agriculture and technical subjects.
Ensuing legislation established an agricultural experiment station with each land-grant institution. Cooperative extension services were created to circulate information about the stations’ research findings.
Washington State College was established in 1890 as a land-grant institution. It has become a distinguished public research university, but its mission remains rooted in accessibility and public service.