Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 27, 1993 TAG: 9310270226
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Short
These 10 men and women were active 4-H members as youths and made outstanding contributions to society in their adult careers, said David Barrett, head of Virginia's 4-H program.
``In this year's group with McComas are Dolly Parton, the country-western singer from Tennessee, the lieutenant governor of Delaware, the University of Illinois basketball coach, a NASA astronaut and others whom their states feel are 4-Hers who have contributed to society as we feel President McComas has,'' Barrett said.
4-H is the youth program of Virginia Cooperative Extension. There are more than 133,000 4-H members in Virginia.
McComas, who will retire as Virginia Tech's president in January, was a member of 4-H in Wayne County, W.Va., working on projects ranging from Dairy Science to electricity. His mother was a 4-H volunteer leader for many years.
After receiving his bachelor's degree from West Virginia University and master's and doctorate at Ohio State University, McComas started a career in higher education at New Mexico State University.
As he served higher education, McComas's work has included many contributions to Cooperative Extension. A recent example of his achievements was providing the leadership to a major legislative campaign which successfully restored more than $10 million to the Virginia Extension budget.
by CNB