Distinguished Alumni Award recipient Clarence B. “Jack” Rogers, Jr. ’51, is recognized for his transformative legacy of philanthropy, leadership in technology, and decades-long support of student innovation.
In recognition of the late Clarence B. “Jack” Rogers Jr. ’51 and his extraordinary legacy of leadership and philanthropy, Gettysburg College has named its Innovation and Creativity Lab in his honor. The facility will now be known as The Rogers Center for Innovation and Creativity, following a motion passed by the Board of Trustees in May.
In 1999, Rogers committed $1 million to endow the original “Rogers Center for Technology & Innovation,” a gift that has since grown and supported the College’s technological infrastructure. Today, The Rogers Center for Innovation and Creativity inspires students across disciplines to explore ambitious ideas, pursue interdisciplinary problem solving, and prepare for the challenges of a rapidly evolving world.
“Jack Rogers ’51 exemplified the very best of Gettysburg—visionary, innovative, and deeply committed to our students and our mission,” said Gettysburg College President Bob Iuliano. “Through his leadership and his enduring investment in the future of our students, Jack has left an indelible mark on our community. The Rogers Center for Innovation and Creativity is a tribute to his remarkable legacy and a daily reminder of what’s possible when bold ideas meet generous hearts.”
Since 2020, use of the space formally known as the Innovation and Creativity Lab (ICL) has grown exponentially across campus. During that time, nearly 5,000 students have utilized its unique resources as part of coursework, workshops, and special events. More than 100 classes have visited the facility ranging from First-Year Seminars to courses in education, anthropology, art history, English, and many more. In total, nearly 75 percent of Gettysburg’s academic programs have interacted with the creative learning space to enhance the student experience across campus.
This summer, the Rogers Center moved from its original location in the West Building into the lower level of Plank Gym. The move places the Center closer to the center of campus, making it even more accessible to students and faculty. Included in the space will be an AI Media Lab, a Design Thinking Café with work tables and disposable materials; an additive lab with 3D printers, sewing machines, embroidery machines, and electronics equipment; and a lab with a chop saw, 3D router, laser cutter, and kiln for glass and pottery work. Future plans call for the addition of two recording studios, one for audio and one for video.
>About Clarence B. “Jack” Rogers Jr. ’51
A trailblazer in the technology industry, Rogers supported the growth of the Center over the last quarter-century. An economics major as an undergraduate, Rogers was a member of Gettysburg’s Benefactor’s Circle, which recognizes the College’s most steadfast and passionate supporters whose lifetime giving of $1 million or more has made an extraordinary impact. In 1979, he was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award, the institution’s highest honor for an alumnus.
Rogers’ visionary leadership helped shape the modern computing era, beginning with his start at IBM in 1954 as a sales representative. Over the next two decades, he advanced rapidly through marketing and development roles, culminating in his election to IBM’s Board of Directors for the World Trade Americas/Far East Corporation in 1976. Rogers rose to become vice president of IBM and president of its General Systems Division.
Following his time at IBM, Rogers became chair and chief executive officer of Equifax, Inc., and served on the boards of Equifax, Sears Roebuck and Co., Briggs & Stratton, Dean Witter, and Discover. He also served on the advisory board of the Atlanta Committee for the 1996 Olympic Games. George Washington University, where Rogers gained his MBA, recognized him with its Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award in 1995.