List of 4-H alumni

4-H alumni have participated in many fields. One out of every seven adults in the U.S. is a former 4-H member. Participation in 4-H events and activities, the value of projects completed, and the challenges and responsibilities experienced in 4-H have contributed to the personal and leadership development of 4-H alumni. A majority of alumni feel that 4-H experiences have also significantly contributed to their success in the workforce and that the knowledge and skills gained through 4-H continue to benefit them in their adult lives.^[2]

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis raised a calf while a member.^[1]

Many^[quantify] notable politicians, entertainers, athletes, business individuals, and educators got their first start in 4-H.

Political figures

Former President Jimmy Carter was a 4-H member.

Notable alumni include U.S. President Jimmy Carter,^[3] and U.S. Vice Presidents Al Gore^[3][4][5][6] and Walter Mondale.^[3][6][7]

Current and former U.S. Senators

• Howard Baker^[6][7]
• Birch Bayh^[6][7]
• Sam Brownback^[6][7]
• Dale Bumpers^[5][6][7]
• Conrad Burns^[6][7]
• Ben Nighthorse Campbell^[3][6][7]
• Thad Cochran^[5][6][7]
• Mike DeWine^[6][7]
• Bob Dole^[6]
• Byron Dorgan^[6][7]
• Wendell H. Ford^[6][7][8]
• Bob Graham^[6][7]
• Judd Gregg^[6][7]
• Clifford Hansen^[6][7]
• Tom Harkin^[6][7]
• Orrin Hatch^[6][7]
• Mike Johanns^[6][7]
• Jon Llewellyn Kyl^[6][7]
• Mitch McConnell^[6][7][8]
• Bill Nelson^[6][7]
• Sam Nunn^[6][7]
• Larry Pressler^[6][7]
• Pat Roberts^[6][7]
• W. Kerr Scott^[5][7]
• Jeff Sessions^[6][7]
• Paul Simon^[5][6][7]
• Debbie Stabenow^[6][7]
• Steve Symms^[7]
• Herman Talmadge^[5][7]
• Craig L. Thomas^[6][7]
• Strom Thurmond^[6][7]
• Malcolm Wallop^[7]

Current and former U.S. Governors

Alabama

• George Wallace^[6][7]

Arkansas

• Asa Hutchinson

Georgia

• Roy Barnes^[6][7]
• Nathan Deal^[6][7]
• Sonny Perdue^[6][7]

Hawai'i

• John Waihee^[7]

Iowa

• Terry Brandstad

Kansas

• William H. Avery^[5][7]
• John W. Carlin^[5][7]
• Nancy Kassebaum^[6][7]

Kentucky

• Martha Layne Collins^[5][7][8]
• Paul E. Patton^[7]

Maine

• John Baldacci^[6][7]

Michigan

• John Engler^[6][7]

North Carolina

• Jim Hunt^[7]
• Robert W. Scott^[5][7]

Oklahoma

Mary Fallin^[7]

• Raymond D. Gary^[5][7]

North Dakota

• William L. Guy^[5][7]

Tennessee

• Buford Ellington^[5][7]

Utah

• Olene Walker^[6][7]

Vermont

• Jim Douglas^[6]

Virginia

• Gerald L. Baliles^[6][7]

Wisconsin

• Tommy Thompson^[6][7]

Wyoming

• Mike Sullivan^[7]

Mitch McConnell is the current U.S. Senate Minority Leader.

Current and former members of Congress include

• Carl Albert^[5][7]
• William Vollie Alexander Jr.^[6][7]
• John F. Baldwin Jr.^[5][7]
• Roscoe Bartlett^[6]
• Rick Berg^[6]
• Jaime Herrera Beutler^[6]
• Tom Bevill^[7]
• Rick Boucher^[6][7]
• Allen Boyd^[6]
• William V. Chappell Jr.^[7]
• Donald H. Clausen^[5][7]
• Eva M. Clayton^[7]
• Howard Coble^[6][7]
• Tony Coelho^[5][7]
• Larry Combest^[6][7]
• Jim Cooper^[5][6][7]
• George Darden^[7]
• Robert William Davis^[7]
• Roy Dyson^[7]
• Bill Emerson^[7]
• Glenn English^[6][7]
• Ronnie Flippo^[7]
• William D. Ford^[6][7]
• Virginia Foxx^[6][7]
• Sam Gejdenson^[7]
• William F. Goodling^[7]
• James W. Grant^[7]
• Ralph Hall^[6][7]
• John Paul Hammerschmidt^[7]
• Katherine Harris^[7]
• J.D. Hayworth^[6][7]
• Wally Herger^[6][7]
• Clyde Holloway^[7]
• Jerry Huckaby^[7]
• Kenny Hulshof^[6][7]
• Earl Hutto^[7]
• Ed Jenkins^[7]
• William L. Jenkins^[6][7]
• Chris John^[6][7]
• Ed Jones^[5][7]
• Ron Kind^[6][7]
• Jim Kolbe^[5][6][7]
• Martin Lancaster^[5][7]
• Tom Latham^[6][7]
• Tiffany Lawrence^[7]
• Jim Lightfoot^[7]
• Koln McKay^[7]
• John T. Myers^[7]
• Sue Myrick^[6][7]
• William Flynt Nichols^[7]
• Chip Pickering^[6][7]
• Graham Purcell^[5][7]
• Adam Putnam^[6][7]
• Ralph Regula^[6][7]
• J. Roy Rowland^[7]
• Martin Sabo^[6][7]
• Daniel Schaefer^[6][7]
• Jim Slattery^[7]
• D. French Slaughter^[7]
• Bob Smith^[7]
• Neal Edward Smith^[7]
• Virginia D. Smith^[7]
• John Sparkman^[5][7]
• Floyd Spence^[7]
• David Stockman^[6][7]
• Bob Stump^[6][7]
• Mike Synar^[7]
• Charles H. Taylor^[6][7]
• Gene Taylor^[6][7]
• Lindsay Thomas^[7]
• Bennie Thompson^[6][7]
• Jill Long Thompson^[7]
• Edolphus Towns^[6][7]
• Bob Traxler^[7]
• Morris Udall^[6][7]
• Wes Watkins^[7]
• Vin Weber^[7]
• Jerry Weller^[6][7]
• Jamie Whitten^[5][7]
• Heather Wilson^[6][7]

Former Puerto Rico Senator Miguel Deynes Soto.^[5]

Cabinet officials

• John Rusling Block^[6][7] and Ann Veneman,^[6][7] former secretaries of Agriculture

First Ladies

• Rosalynn Carter^[6][7]
• Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis^{[3][4][6][7][9]}
• Pat Nixon^[6][7]
• Idaho First Lady Patricia Kempthorne^[7]

Native Americans

• Ethel Branch^[10]

Academics

George Beadle was a pioneering geneticist who won the Nobel prize in 1958.

• former Kansas State University President Duane Acker^[5][7]
• former Chancellor of Texas A&M University Perry Adkisson^[5][7]
• former U.S. Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander^[3][6][7]
• Nobel Prize winners George Beadle^[5][7] and Daniel McFadden^[6]
• former Arizona State University President Lattie Coor^[7]
• Colorado State University System President Tony Frank
• Harvard University President Drew Gilpin Faust^[6][7]
• West Virginia University President Gordon Gee^[7]
• Steve Gunderson of the Career Education Colleges and Universities
• Former University of Illinois President Stanley O. Ikenberry^[5][7]
• Former Yale University President Howard Lamar^[7]
• Former Virginia Tech President William Edward Lavery^[5][7]
• Former University of New Hampshire President Joan Leitzel^[7]
• Former Clemson University President Max Lennon^[5][7]
• Former Auburn University President James E. Martin^[5][7]
• Former Kent State University President Glenn Olds^[5][7]
• Former University of Nebraska President Ronald Roskens^[5][7]
• Former Penn State University President Graham B. Spanier^[6]
• Former University of Maryland President John S. Toll^[5][7]
• Former Mississippi State University President Donald W. Zacharias^[7]

Arts and literature

• Frank Herbert, American Science Fiction writer^[11]
• Jim Davis, cartoonist^[4][6][7][9]
• Pulitzer Prize winning novelist John Updike^[4][6][7]

Business and industry

Bill Mensch studied electronics as a 4-H member.^[12]

• Andrew Bosworth of Facebook^[13][14]
• Colby Chandler of Eastman Kodak^[5][7]
• Arnold W. Donald of Carnival Corporation
• Bob Evans^[7]
• Ken C. Hicks of Footlocker^[6]
• Bill Mensch of the Western Design Center^[6]
• Javier Palomarez of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce^[14]
• Harold Poling of the Ford Motor Company^[5][7]
• Orville Redenbacher^[3][5][6][7]
• Edward B. Rust Jr. of State Farm Insurance^[7]
• Jesse W. Tapp of Bank of America^[5][7]
• Randall L. Tobias of Eli Lilly and Co.^[6][7]
• Leland Tollett of Tyson Foods^[7]
• Frank L. VanderSloot of Melaleuca^[6]
• Nancy Zieman of Sewing with Nancy^[5][7]

Entertainment and media

Julia Roberts.

• Anne Burrell of the Food Network^[13][14]
• Johnny Carson^[3][6][9]
• Steve Doocy^[7]
• Nancy Grace^[6][7][13]
• Florence Henderson^[6]
• Holly Hunter^[6]
• Karen Kilgariff
• David Letterman^[3]
• Miss America Jacque Mercer^[7]
• Jim Nabors^[6]
• Aubrey Plaza
• Donna Reed^[6]
• Julia Roberts^[3][4]
• Sissy Spacek^[6]
• Tony Award nominee Tom Wopat^[6]

Military

General Hugh Shelton raised Hereford steers as a member.^[15]

• General Creighton Abrams^[7]
• Lieutenant General Russel L. Honoré^[7]
• General Hugh Shelton^[7]
• Brigadier General Wilma Vaught^[7]

Music

• Roy Acuff^[5][6]
• Luke Bryan^[3]
• Glen Campbell^[6]
• Johnny Cash^[3][6]
• John Denver^[6]
• Vince Gill
• Faith Hill^[3][6][9]
• Jermaine Jackson^[6]
• Reba McEntire^[3][5][6]
• Sherrill Milnes
• Jennifer Nettles^[3][6]
• Randy Owen^[3]
• Dolly Parton^[3][4][6][9]
• Charley Pride^[6]
• Kevin Richardson^[3][8]
• Jean Ritchie^[5]
• Roy Rogers^[3][5][6]
• Ricky Skaggs^[6][8]
• Trisha Yearwood^[3]

Sciences and technology

4-H alumni include the astronauts:

• Bonnie J. Dunbar^[7]
• Ellison Onizuka^[7]
• Jerry L. Ross^[7]
• Alan Shepard^{[3][5][6][7][9]}
• Peggy Whitson^[7]
• Donald E. Williams^[7]

Sports

Herschel Walker won the Heisman Trophy in 1982.

• Robert A. "Bob" Baffert, racehorse trainer^[16]
• Johnny Bench^[6][7]
• U.S. Triple Crown jockey Steve Cauthen^[7][8]
• Olympic Gold Medal winner Stacy Dragila^[7]
• NASCAR Champion Ned Jarrett^[3][7]
• Archie Manning^[7]
• National Collegiate Basketball coach Pat Summitt^[5]
• Dan Reeves^[3][7]
• Original owner of the Miami Dolphins Joe Robbie^[5][7]
• All-Time leading women's professional basketball scorer Katie Smith^[7]
• Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker^[3][6][7]
• Reggie White^[3][6][7]

References

1. "U.S. Presidents and 4-H". 4-H History Preservation Program. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
2. Radhakrishna, Rama B.; Sinasky, Megan (December 2005). "4-H Experiences Contributing to Leadership and Personal Development of 4-H Alumni". The Journal of Extension. 43 (6). Retrieved March 28, 2012.
3. "Famous 4-H Alumni" (PDF). North Carolina State University. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
4. Butler, Keira (2014). Raise: What 4-H Teaches Seven Million Kids and How Its Lessons Could Change Food and Farming Forever. Oakland, California: University of California Press. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-5202-7580-5. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
5. "National 4-H Alumni Winners". 4-H History Preservation Program. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
6. "4-H Club". NNDB. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
7. "4-H Distinguished Alumni". National Association of Extension 4-H Agents. Archived from the original on February 12, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
8. Tenkotte, Paul A.; Claypool, James C. (2014). The Encyclopedia of Northern Kentucky. Lexington, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky. p. 367. ISBN 978-0-8131-5996-6. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
9. Broyles, Mathew (2006). Pole Bending. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group. p. 35. ISBN 978-1-4042-0547-5. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
10. Schwartz, Faith (April 24, 2018). "Navajo Nation Attorney General Receives 4-H Luminary Award". University of Arizona. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
11. DUNE Author Frank Herbert on Environmentalism. He Said This in the 70's!, retrieved October 10, 2021
12. "Interview with William Mensch". Stanford University. October 9, 1995. Archived from the original on October 3, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
13. "Famous 4-H Alumni Join National Leaders to Celebrate Youth Impact, Emphasize STEM at 4-H Legacy Awards in D.C." PR Newswire. April 4, 2014. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
14. "Alumni Stories". 4-H. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
15. Shelton, Hugh; Levinson, Ronald; McConnell, Malcolm (2010). Without Hesitation: The Odyssey of an American Warrior. New York: St. Martin's Press. pp. 9–10. ISBN 978-0-3125-9905-8. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
16. Naczek, Margaret (July 4, 2018). "From border town to Belmont: Bob Baffert points to family, Nogales ranch as roots to horse racing success". Cronkite News. Retrieved October 19, 2020.