Florida 4-H Hall of Fame

Jackie Dupont

Jackie Dupont grew up in Plant City when there were no 4-H clubs in the city’s junior and senior high schools. When she found out about 4-H at age 12 she insisted on becoming a member and then completed two full years of projects to catch up with her age group. She was instrumental in establishing an out-of-school senior 4-H club that created the East Hillsborough Junior Agriculture Fair that is now part of the plant City Annual Strawberry Festival. Because of her insistence 4-H girls were allowed to form a cattle judging team and enter the tractor driving contest. The persistence Dr. Dupont displayed during her 4-H career has continued throughout her professional career. After college her first position was with the USDA’s Agriculture Research Service. She helped research and teaching positions at Howard University School Medicine, the University of Colorado Medical Center, and the Florida State University. Dupont has served as chairman of Food Science and Nutrition at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, and Iowa State University. Now retired, Dupont holds the honorary Hazel Stiebeling Professional Chair at Florida State University where she guides graduate students and faculty in their research endeavors.  “4-H was absolutely fundamental to my developing and leading my own life. 4-H gave me the vision that people could control their own lives and grow. It led me to my profession, and to my developing and leading my own life,” she said.