Purdue News

November 14, 1997

Appeals court judge to head Purdue Department of 4-H Youth

"We are very pleased to have Linda Chezem join our administrative team," said Victor Lechtenberg, dean of the School of Agriculture. "She brings a wealth of experience in dealing with youth and youth problems and in securing funds for creative youth programs. She is a strong advocate of our highly successful and long-standing 4-H programs. As well, Linda has a great track record in working with federal and state agencies to develop and strengthen partnerships in support of youth programs. We look forward to Linda's leadership of our 4-H youth programs."

As department head, Chezem will be responsible for 4-H programs statewide that reach more than 252,000 youths and 20,500 volunteer adults and Junior Leaders. The department has a national reputation in the areas of curriculum development, programming for youths with special needs and community development focusing on youth issues.

Chezem, judge of the Indiana Court of Appeals Fourth District, leaves behind a 26-year career in law, but continues an equally long record -- on and off the bench -- of dedication to families and children.

"4-H is a healthy way to grow kids," said Chezem, who will assume her new duties Jan. 1. "Kids no longer grow up in a family with a mother, father, 2.2 children, a dog and a cat. We must find ways to help families nurture their children to become productive adults. Land-grant universities like Purdue have the research and resources to help us create these kinds of relationship models for kids."

As judge of Lawrence Circuit Court in Bedford, Chezem saw many juvenile cases that she believed could have been prevented by the presence of a supportive adult. "We were getting problems other systems hadn't dealt with -- problems the legal system wasn't equipped to deal with," Chezem said. "Lives go on after court. We need to find a way to support families. In many cases, it would take so little to change their direction."

Chezem helped create this support with a program called Community Systemwide Response (CSR). Through CSR she forged an alliance between the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service and juvenile and family court judges to develop community-based programs for at-risk youths and families. CSR since has been implemented in more than one-third of Indiana's 92 counties.

It wasn't coincidence that Chezem turned to Purdue Extension for help; it was family tradition. Her father, a Clay County farmer, always had looked to Extension and Purdue for information. Her mother, a former 4-H'er, belonged to a home economics club and was Chezem's 4-H leader as well. Chezem tells a story that illustrates just how far back her ties to Extension go: "The day I was born, the home economics agent came to visit me at the hospital."

Off the bench, Chezem brought law-related education to Indiana schools through programs for elementary to high school students, even bringing youths to court to observe trials. A former licensed English teacher, she also continued her commitment to education by teaching sessions at professional training programs throughout the United States.

Her professional and community service activities at the national, state and local levels have ranged from the White House Conference for a Drug-Free America to her local county Extension board.

Chezem's efforts have not gone without recognition. She received the National 4-H Alumni Award and both the National and Indiana Friend of Extension Award. Among her many other honors are the Hoosier Hero Award, the Distinguished Hoosier Award and the Sagamore of the Wabash.

A graduate of Indiana State University (1968) and the Indiana University School of Law (1971), Chezem was in private law practice in Paoli from 1971 to 1975. She served as judge of Lawrence County Court (1976-82) and judge of Lawrence Circuit Court (1982-88). In 1988 she was appointed to the Indiana Court of Appeals.

Chezem succeeds Maurice Kramer, who retired in August after serving as department head since 1984. Under Kramer's leadership, 4-H revised its curricula to teach life skills and work force preparation and expanded programs for Indiana schoolchildren and at-risk youth.

Sources: Linda Chezem, (317) 232-6907
Victor Lechtenberg, (765) 494-8391
Writer: Olivia Maddox, (765) 496-3207; e-mail, om@aes.purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu

NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: A black-and-white photo of Linda Chezem is available from Agricultural Communication Service, (765) 494-8396, Purdue News Service, (765) 494-2096, or the PurdueNews ftp site at ftp://ftp.purdue.edu/pub/uns/.

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