Page 33 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine Winter 2021 - Online Magazine

EXCEPTIONAL SENIORS

West Texas State University. She continued teaching material, coordinated the NASA Speakers Bureau,
and creating curriculum about the space program, escorted VIPs to space shuttle launches, developed
even after she moved to South Carolina to attend hands-on activities for astronauts’ children, wrote
USC. Shortly after earning her PhD in Education, Dr. press releases, and assisted with over 50 NASA
Hodges became a professor at the University of Miami, launches. She was even chosen to be a torch bearer in
where she designed their first course on Aerospace the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay.
Education and published its textbook, Aerospace
Projects for Teachers. Jane continued to pursue higher education, receiving
a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management,
The World Organization for Preschool Education a Master’s degree in Computer Resource Information
selected her to study children's programs in Israel, and Management and a second PhD – this one in Business
she was also chosen to travel to India as a Fulbright Administration. Her international aerospace work
Scholar on Women and Children's Rights. Her next continued with trips to Morocco, Egypt, Kuwait, the
career move was a position in the Georgia State Peruvian Amazon, and Puerto Rico.
Department of Education, where she created statewide
curricula for grades K-12. Her interest in aerospace In 1999, an invitation to introduce space science and
activities continued to grow, and she served as NASA's technology into West African curriculum caused Dr.
point of contact for their “Teacher in Space” program Hodges to take the audacious step of leaving her
and on the selection committee to choose the first NASA position and moving to Port Harcourt, Nigeria
civilian to train for a Space Shuttle mission. where she worked with universities and officials in
the Ministry of Education to introduce the concept of
The indefatigable teacher coauthored a book called
Famous Black Americans, featuring the story of
American astronaut Fred Gregory. She served as a
board member for the World Aerospace Education
Organization and became the first woman to serve
as the USAF/CAP SE Liaison Region Director for
Aerospace Education for the southeastern U.S.,
Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

In January 1985, she was invited to witness the
launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger, whose
crew included Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher
in space. After multiple launch delays, Jane and
her colleagues left, barely missing the explosive
disaster which occurred just 73 seconds after
launch. Jane was deeply affected by the tragedy
but spent the next year delivering the message
to various audiences that achieving success often
requires us to take risks and overcome challenges.

Not long after the unexpected loss of her husband
in 1988, she accepted a position to coordinate
Child Development Services at a U.S. Army base in
southern Germany. She oversaw a large program
which she made sure included a Space Summer
Camp for youth!

When NASA’s Kennedy Space Center expanded
their education program, Jane was hired into the
Public Affairs Directorate where, among many
other things, she authored NASA educational

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