Athletic Hall of Fame

Rodney Slater

Sport(s): Football

Graduating Class: 1977

Induction Class: 2001

Outstanding football player at EMU from 1973-76, earning three varsity letters...Named the Elton J. Rynearson Award winner as the football team's top scholar-athlete in 1976...Co-captain of the 1976 football team and rushed for 562 yards that season...Closed out his EMU career with 1,330 yards rushing...Two-time Mid-American Conference All-Academic Team pick...Was a member of the 1977 EMU forensics team that won the national championship...Presented with an honorary doctor of public service degree from EMU in 1996...Joined United States President Bill Clinton's cabinet in 1997 and was the third-longest serving Secretary of Transportation in the nation's history...Prior to becoming Secretary of Transportation he served the nation as the administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, the first African-American administrator in that agency's century-long history...Served the State of Arkansas as an assistant attorney general from 1980-82 and was a member of the State Highway and Transportation Commission from 1987-92...Responsible for President Bill Clinton serving as EMU's keynote speaker at the 2000 graduation ceremonies...One of six recipients of the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award in 2001.

« Athletic Hall of Fame