The Future of Waterman Task Force has been hard at work. Task force members gathered input from more than 150 people in April and May, through multiple listening sessions and interviews. Stakeholders included college and university faculty and staff, students, elected officials, Waterman neighbors, alumni, commodity groups, friends of the college, and more.
The task force then synthesized more than 6,000 data points to work toward a shared vision. The research showed strong consensus among the diverse stakeholders. For example, there was broad agreement that Waterman should be known as a showcase for experiential learning and discovery in the areas of food, agricultural, and environmental sciences.
The research also revealed agreement on the trends that will affect food, agriculture, and environmental sciences. Examples include a heightened interest in how food is grown and a demand for balance between food production and environmental sustainability.
There is still time to provide input. Please contact John Foltz, Graham Cochran, or any member of the task force with your thoughts. Check the Waterman webpage for more information and for task force member names.
In next steps, the task force will share research results with those who participated in listening sessions and interviews and start work on the Master Plan. The team is excited to share its progress with the college’s leadership in early July.