Thomas F. Rodgers was recently named to the at the National 4-H Hall of Fame for his work establishing environmental education programs across the nation.

Thomas Rodgers worked previously at the University as associate vice president of public service and as associate dean for outreach and extension in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Georgia. Courtesy of the University of Georgia

In addition to being former UGA associative vice president of public service, Rodgers  also worked as former associate dean for outreach and extension in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Georgia.

Rodgers has raised more than $2 million to renovate the University of Georgia Rock Eagle 4-H center, and he worked on the Jeckyl Island 4-H center as well.

Q: Tell me about your history with 4-H?

A: As a 10-year-old I was in 4-H and then as I grew older I became a state 4-H leader. When I was state 4-H leader I was also very active in the national 4-H organization. I later became the national coordinator for the national 4-H Japanese exchange program and served on the Policy Committee of 4-H, which is kind of an organization with all the 4-H leaders. 4-H has been with me for a long time. 

Q: What were some of your major accomplishments that led to your being named in the 4-H Hall of Fame?

A: I was the assistant director for fourteen years starting in 1979 and during that time the major thing was the renovation of the Rock Eagle 4-H center and the acquisition of the Jeckyl island 4-H center and the beginning of the 4-H environmental education program. It is a program for elementary and middle school kids and through the year about 14,000 students go through the program. A staff member named Dianne Davis and I put together the environmental education program by promoting it to the schools and raising money. For that program we got a quarter of a million dollar grant from two different foundations, Kellogg foundation and the Day foundation.

Q: How did you feel when you were named in the 4-H Hall of Fame?

A: It was a pleasant surprise to be named to the national 4-H Hall of Fame. I had already reached recognition from the state level but to receive it from the 4-H center was a pleasant surprise. 4-H has been important for me for a long, long time. I come from a rural background. I was reared on a farm and am an outdoors person so I was just excited about being in love with it.