Ohio 4-H is proud to recognize Patricia Brundige as part of the newest class of inductees in the National 4-H Hall of Fame. Brundige was honored as a member of the 2024 class during a ceremony on Oct. 14 at the National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals Annual Conference in Boise, Idaho.
Raised as a 4-H member in Franklin County, Brundige experienced the benefits of 4-H firsthand and never forgot the life skills and lessons she learned. Since then, she has been an unwavering supporter of Ohio 4-H, giving more than five decades of service to the program as a volunteer. The impact of her volunteerism and monetary donations has stretched across the state, benefiting thousands of yout
h and providing new opportunities to grow the Ohio 4-H program in unprecedented ways.
Brundige is known for her “see a need, fill a need” philosophy and applies this mindset to all aspects of her volunteer work with Ohio 4-H. She has been a club advisor for the Fantastic Futures 4-H Club in Franklin County for more than ten years and can often be found teaching sewing classes at local 4-H camps, volunteering as a project judge at county fairs, or even slicing buckets of onions for county 4-H fundraisers.
Brundige is also generous with her monetary donations. She serves as the largest individual benefactor in the history of The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), with a
majority of these dollars benefiting the Ohio 4-H program.
She has created an endowment through The Ohio State University to fund research in positive youth development through the Ohio 4-H program, sponsored clock trophies at the Ohio State Fair, and funded the Ohio 4-H Sheep Achievement Award, enabling youth to attend National 4-H Congress in Atlanta at no cost. In 2008 she furthered her contributions to Ohio 4-H by funding the construction of the new Kunz-Brundige Franklin County Extension Building.
“Ohio 4-H has always been at the front of Pat’s mind and her generosity goes beyond personal investment. She is generous with her monetary donations, but she is even more generous with the time, leadership, and talent she devotes to Ohio 4-H,” said Kirk Bloir, state 4-H leader and assistant director of OSU Extension. “Her continued dedication to the growth and future of the program is a testament to her belief in the impact of 4-H. Through her quiet leadership, 
Pat has built a legacy that will leave Ohio 4-H better than she found it.”
“I am humbled by this award and want to say thank you for the recognition,” said Brundige. “4-H has been woven throughout my life, from my early years as a 4-H member to my time spent as a 4-H advisor and volunteer. I enjoy seeing that my contributions to 4-H at the county level provide the youth of today with opportunities to become leaders of the future.”
Brundige has also been the recipient of Ohio 4-H’s Friend of 4-H Award and the Everett D. Reese Medal in recognition of her exceptional service to The Ohio State University. In 2022, the Ohio chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP) honored her with the Friend of Extension Award for her outstanding support of Ohio Extension, and in 2023 she received ESP’s national Friend of Extension Award.