Though he was only president of the college for four months, Henry E. Alvord, managed to make a real difference. 

A disciple of the land-grant movement, Alvord is credited with working to bring reorganization, reform and an informed approach to the institution. He provided a careful analysis of the campus in the form of an annual report that triggered a legislative investigation and ultimate reforms. 

Soon after he left, Alvord became the first head of the dairy division at the Bureau of Animal Industry in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.