A Bridge Between Continents

A little girl from Hardy County, a dean with a global vision, and the WVU legacy that lives on — in Kenya.

Where She Was Meant to Be

“Stepping foot in Kenya really wasn’t different from any other trip I’ve been on,” said Jennifer Ours Williams, associate dean and associate director for WVU Extension. “But as the week went on, I could feel something shift. There was a joy that existed inside the people there that we sometimes miss here in the U.S. — a joy from people who have so few material possessions, but are rich beyond imagination.”

On the last night of her trip, as the sun set behind the acacia trees of the Masai Mara, Ours Williams sat quietly, looking out across the plains.

“This little girl from the hills of West Virginia marveled at the big ole world of God’s magnificent creations. And I felt it — that peace settling deep within me. I had arrived at a place I was meant to be.”

She had no idea just how deep the WVU roots in Kenya would run — or that her journey had already started decades earlier, when she first met the man who would unknowingly lay the foundation for everything to come.

Back to the Beginning

“I grew up on a farm in Hardy County, outside of Fisher, West Virginia, the daughter of a full-time farmer and a secretary. My parents wanted a better life for me and my sister — and a college degree was essential. It was never a question of if, but where I would go,” she said.

For Ours Williams, WVU was an easy choice.

“It was the state land-grant, many of my friends were accepted, and the ag school offered programs that held my interest. My parents dropped me off at the Arnold Hall Annex on a hot August weekend in 1984. Once the goodbyes were said and the tears dried, my college career began.”

The College of Agriculture and Forestry (now the Davis College) quickly felt like home.

“My professors were personable, engaging, and loved our state and its people as much as I did.

I don’t remember the exact moment I met the new dean, Robert Maxwell, but I do remember his larger-than-life presence, the huge grin, and his great laugh. He made me feel special — maybe even important,” she said. “I always knew Bob Maxwell was a special kind of man. But I wouldn’t know for nearly 40 years just how deeply his legacy would connect to mine.”

A Career Rooted in Service

Over the next few decades, Ours Williams would go on to serve as an Extension agent in Upshur County and then return to the Ag Sciences Building as a statewide program director.

“My Extension career has allowed me to travel the state, work with amazing professionals, develop programs that impact our communities, and experience things that have enhanced my life. But it was a 2023 family vacation that would enrich my life beyond imagination.”

That trip began in Kenya and continued through four other countries. But it was Kenya — its people, its sunsets, its spirit — that stuck with her. “When I got home, I went straight to see my good friend Betty Maxwell, Bob’s widow, and told her all about my experience,” she said. “She shared her own stories of their time in Kenya — and I couldn’t stop thinking about ways I could connect my work at WVU to this beautiful country.”

Ours Williams began researching agriculture education and Extension in Kenya, eventually finding Miriam Kyule, chair of agricultural education at Egerton University.

“We connected on Zoom, and it didn’t take long before I was planning a solo return trip, using my own resources. I had a great plan and new friends to meet.”

The Moment I’ll Never Forget

Ours Williams’ visit to Egerton was full of promise. She shared WVU Extension materials, visited school gardens, and learned about the local 4K Clubs — the Kenyan version of 4-H.

“We were washing up for lunch one afternoon when a faculty member came up to me and asked if I had ever heard of a man they teach about in their classes — a man she believed was from West Virginia. She said his name was Robert Maxwell.”

“My heart stopped. I said, ‘Know of him? I knew him. He was the dean when I went to school. He gave me my first leadership opportunity with WVU Extension, and I still visit with his wife, Betty,’” she recalled.

The Egerton faculty were thrilled. They took a photo and sent it to Betty back home, who was moved to know Bob was still remembered — thousands of miles away and decades later.

“Looking back, I believe his spirit was in that very room.”

From Connection to Collaboration

After returning home, Ours Williams and Kyule began laying the groundwork for a formal partnership between WVU and Egerton.

“Together with colleagues from both universities, we set goals, shared materials, and began the process of pursuing an MOU. I started small, but I was dreaming big.”

On July 10, 2024, WVU Provost Maryanne Reed signed the official agreement.

In November, Ours Williams led a WVU delegation back to Kenya to deliver educational programs and youth development training for 4K Club members, teachers, and Egerton students.

“It was a meaningful trip for all of us — Luci Mosesso, Sarah Owen, Tina Cowger, Denis Scott, Adeola Oganuda, and me. And we all came back with ideas for how to grow the collaboration.”

A Legacy Rediscovered

The more she worked with Egerton, the more Ours Williams learned about WVU’s earlier efforts in Kenya — led by Maxwell himself.

“I found USAID reports, old photographs, newsletters. I learned how, in 1960, Bob packed up his three little boys and his very pregnant wife and flew across the ocean to build agricultural education from the ground up.”

“He wrote curriculum by Coleman lantern and had to get Cambridge’s approval before it could be used. His early work laid the foundation for the education system there — and WVU was part of that effort through a USAID partnership to assist Egerton College.”

She also discovered a 1969 project report that perfectly captured the spirit behind WVU’s international work:

“Each citizen of every nation must be free of the fear of pestilence, disease, poverty and oppression... WVU believes that by participating in such programs, it can help remove the barriers of ignorance and misconceptions now separating peoples of the world.”

“That statement still gives me chills,” Ours Williams said. “It’s everything I believe about the work we’re doing.”

“Our goals today are different from the 1960s USAID project, but the heart of the work is the same: helping young people see across the mountains and imagine a broader world.”

She said she’s proud of the partnerships they’re building. “My heart is full from the friendships I’ve made and the joy this project has brought to my life.”

“I truly believe, as Betty Maxwell has said, that Dean Maxwell is guiding me on this journey. I’ll be forever grateful for the opportunity to be mentored by both Bob and Betty — and for this new passion I’ve discovered in international programming.”

“Big dreams begin with small steps,” she said. “But the West Virginia University legacy lives on in Kenya.”