Rodgers was selected to receive the award by members of the U.S. Military Veterans of Columbia University, a student group that fosters camaraderie and networking among veterans joining a long tradition of veteran scholars at Columbia that dates back to the end of World War II and the creation of GS.
“I appreciate the recognition for doing what I love and for trying to do that well, and for trying to make a difference, but I am not done yet. We have done great things over these 20 years and we deserve a moment to reflect on that and think about our success and our accomplishments, but we can only do that in the context of what comes next. There are still incredible things to be done and I myself plan to do them, with you,” Rodgers said.
As vice dean, Rodgers is the senior administrative officer of GS, an undergraduate college with more than 2,800 enrolled students, including more than 500 military veterans. During his time at Columbia University, he has gained broad experience identifying a variety of top-performing adult, returning, veteran, nontraditional, and traditional students, as well as developing innovative enrollment and retention strategies for these distinct populations.