By Stephen Smoot
High atop North Mountain, on Road Less Traveled Road, Future Generations University has served as the hub of a number of programs. Some benefit the Pendleton County community, while others focus on development throughout the Appalachian region. Other work seeks to bring uplift to communities in 55 nations worldwide.
These include Afghanistan, Nepal, Zimbabwe, Haiti, and many others.
One of the key changes over the past year included the appointment of Francis Day as chief executive officer and president of the institution.
Previously, Day had served as vice president of advancement.
She took over from Daniel Taylor, university professor and chair of the board of trustees. Taylor wrote in the report “I just returned from Zimbabwe, collaborating with the African alumni. Applying their masters training, they transform their communities.”
Day expressed appreciation to Taylor, saying, “Thank you to Daniel Taylor for his many years of service . . . he and I are working closely to ensure a sustainable and bright future for Future Generations University.”
The report expressed a vision that included the idea of enrichment through applied education, expanding opportunities for women, and scaling up successes “through action, learning, and continual experimentation.”
Alumni continue to work worldwide in pursuit of organizational goals. Rachel Mashiri of Zimbabwe, according to the report, “is a mother of three, a pastor’s wife, and a teacher. She lives in the town of Marondera . . . as an educator from the religious community, she works with people from all walks of life with various needs.”
From Nepal, Bindu Pun “works with adolescents as a training officer for Bhaskar-Tejshree Memorial Foundation.” She said, “My university professors help me make health learning fun.”
A program established in the Himalayan Mountains, that run through Nepal, northern India, and southwestern China, include prioritizing the sharing of histories, including those of women, and teaching the fundamentals of greenhouse agriculture. Greenhouses, even in West Virginia, help to expand cultivation to areas traditionally considered unsuitable for terrain or temperature.
Closer to home, the report indicates that “the Appalachian program is flourishing with innovative projects and versatile funding channels.” This includes a “reputation that continues to rise as a regional facilitator for Forest Adventure Agritourism.”
In Pendleton County, FGU has worked diligently to advance research in expanding tree-based syrup production. It has worked to encourage added production and improved marketing of maple while also producing groundbreaking advances in walnut and sycamore syrups.
It also started a “sprout school,” described as “a training program for educators and agricultural service providers to learn farm-to-school K-12 education.”
