George Washington Carver graduated from Iowa State in 1894, but his presence is felt stronger than ever today.

Physical reminders of Carver’s legacy can be seen across campus in the form of Carver Hall, Carver Road, Carver Scholars and a statue of Carver. But Director of Minority Student Affairs Rafael Rodriguez said Carver’s spirit also is felt at ISU.

“He provides an inspiration to promote academic success,” Rodriguez said.

John Anderson, associate director of university relations, agreed.

“The inspiration that his life provided was in wanting to become his best … and it still inspires others,” Anderson said.

Rodriguez said Carver fits in the framework of a hero. Like many heroes, George Washington Carver’s rise to greatness was not easy.

His father died shortly before Carver was born, around the year 1864, on the Moses Carver plantation in Diamond Grove, Mo. Shortly after his father’s death, Carver and his mother were kidnapped by slave raiders.

Although Carver was returned to the plantation, his mother was never heard from again.

Frailty and illness during Carver’s childhood prevented him from working in the fields. Because of this, Carver tended to household duties and worked in the gardens, which led to his knowledge of plant life.

Carver learned to read and write at home, and his thirst for knowledge continued to grow. He went to several community colleges in Kansas, Missouri and Iowa, including Simpson College, and eventually became the first African-American student to enroll at Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, now known as Iowa State University.

ISU President Martin Jischke said Carver embodies the commitment to opportunity, to basic and applied research and in particular, the commitment to service.

“He took [initiative] to obtain not only a practical education but also a liberal education,” Jischke said.

Anderson said Carver portrayed the promise for a land-grant university.

“[Carver] is the epitome of the land-grant student,” Anderson said. “He had talent in more than one thing.”

Anderson said Carver was proficient in the fields of poetry, oratory, singing and art, and he developed these interests in everything he did.

Although Carver’s interests included art and music, his excellence in botany proved to be his forte.

Anderson said Carver was mentored by former Dean of Agriculture James Wilson, who later became the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, and Louis Pammel, both notable in their field of study.

After graduating, Carver became ISU’s first African-American faculty member. He also taught at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.

Some of Carver’s greatest achievements include the development of 325 products from peanuts, more than 100 products from sweet potatoes, and hundreds more from other plants native to the southern United States.

Steve Jones, communication specialist with the Iowa State News Service, said Carver’s contributions have been great.

“[These products have] benefited the nation and world as a whole,” Jones said.

Anderson said Carver also played a significant role in outreach.

“[Carver] devoted his life to conducting research and using research to create new opportunities for people and helping to improve their lives,” Anderson said.

“[He extended] the resources of the university to help people solve problems, and he did it with the Southern farmers,” Anderson said.

A quote from Carver describes the way he lived his life and how he achieved success: “It’s simply service that measures success.”

Anderson said Carver devoted his life to the idea of service and serving others.

Carver died in 1943, and since then, he has been recognized for his efforts a multitude of times. Some of the honors bestowed on him include commemorative postage stamps, a 50-cent coin, an election into the Hall of Fame for Great Americans and Inventors Hall of Fame and a Doctor of Humane Letters from Iowa State in 1994.

Anderson said it is significant and heartwarming that Carver started his career at ISU, and he believes Carver’s legacy will live on indefinitely.

“There are certain things that are timeless, and the story of George Washington Carver is one of them,” Anderson said.

This year ISU is celebrating Carver’s greatness by providing a variety of different activities throughout the year, and officials hope to continue some of these activities in the years to come.

“Our hope is that this legacy will be an inspiration to our students and to others,” Jischke said. “[We want people] to see in Carver a remarkable example of taking advantage of the educational opportunities at ISU.”