Last week friends and colleagues of Everett M. Rogers (1931-2004) gathered at Ohio University to celebrate the life and work of this distinguished scholar, author, researcher, teacher and mentor under the theme “Celebrating the Scholarship and Mentorship of Everett M. Rogers.

There were several sessions for reflection and time and time again the phrase “he was a great mentor” surfaced. What also emerged during the three days of the conference was that Rogers lived what he taught.  The things he passed on to other made a significant impact because he was unpretentious, and lived with dignity and integrity.

All those who knew him personally talked about the fact that he was confident in his own success and therefore had no problems sharing the lime light with others. According to one participant “he always treated you as his equal”. This attitude was among the many things that made him both special and memorable.

Rogers, who at one point taught at Ohio State University gained prominence for his Diffusion of Innovations theory which seeks to explain how, why, and at what rate new ideas and technology spread through cultures. This theoretical frame is still popular today as it was when the theory first came to light. Scholars at the conference pointed out that the theory has great utility hence its use in almost every discipline. Rogers authored 30 books which were also translated into 15 languages – and more than 500 articles that helped to shape and influence the field of communication, sociology, marketing and political science.

At the end of the conference on what would have been Roger’s 80th birthday, we heard stories about Rogers the avid gardener who would plant a garden where ever he stayed around the world. After his scholarship gardening was his next great love. A passion he developed from his childhood days growing up in Carrol, Iowa, on a farm.

In a fitting tribute to this remarkable man, friends and colleagues were each given a pod and a seed to plant anywhere they wish in memory of a man who is often quoted as saying about his mentorship ” I like to plant little acorns and watch them grow into trees.”

Today these acorns are mentors themselves who are committed to Rogers’ dream of making the world a better place by living with integrity and advancing knowledge through practice and the sharing.

Salute to Everett Rogers and his little acorns. The conference was edifying but learning about Rogers made me want to be a better person and scholar!