Strategic Partnerships Overview

The partnership sector of engagement identifies and cultivates those internal and external groups that share our goals and objectives, with whom together we can be greater than the sum of our parts by bringing the talents, resources and decision-makers to the table to address and meet shared objectives.

The strategic component of the title indicates the intentional thought and direction with which we approach existing, or facilitate new, alliances in order to be most successful. It revolves around having a point person to concentrate on building relationships for the organization that will align with the university’s strategic plan and addressing the grand challenges facing our state and its families, communities and businesses.

The director of strategic partnerships identifies, facilitates and nurtures partnerships and ties for MU and MU Extension. She often follows up on leads generated by the vice chancellor for extension and engagement or becomes a standing member on committees to develop ties and ensure we bring the right faculty and staff to the table. For assistance, contact Tracy Feller.

As a part of the UM System, the University of Missouri also is in partnership with:

University of Missouri–
Kansas City

University of Missouri–
St. Louis

Missouri University of
Science and Technology

Lincoln University

USDA National Institute of
Food and Agriculture

The Land Grant

The charge that came with the gifts of land to each state, to build their land-grant university from the proceeds of the sale, was to disseminate scholarly knowledge and research to not just those students who study here, but to all Missourians, for generations to come. That practical knowledge has grown from our roots in agriculture and 4-H to the broad-based extension we embrace at MU across nearly every school and college. Using university research-based knowledge, University of Missouri Extension works with people to understand change, solve problems and make informed decisions.

For the past couple of years, teams from extension have crisscrossed the state listening to what was most important to Missourians and seeing where the commonalities of their greatest concerns and worries lay.

This became All Things Missouri, a body of information that we have integrated to share with all who may benefit from these findings.

Grand Challenges Facing Missourians

MU Extension has worked to reimagine how the university engages with Missourians to extend university knowledge and resources across the state. This task required a long overdue assessment of statewide needs and a deep look at extension’s practices, resources and impact. Input from more than 1,000 Missourians from all corners of the state on key challenges facing their communities resulted in identifying three “grand challenges” as focal points for efforts:

• Economic opportunity
• Educational access and excellence
• Healthy futures

More about Grand Challenges