When it was time for college, Broder initially chose to attend Georgia Southern and declare a chemistry major, which he admits did not go very well. 

“When I chose to transfer to UGA in Athens, I didn’t really know what to choose, so I just went with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences because it was what I was familiar with, what I knew,” he said. “When I got to class and saw all of my 4-H buddies from back home, I knew this was the right choice. And when you go from a chemistry major to an agricultural economics major, your grades tend to improve too, which helped.”

This choice, and an acumen and aptitude that continued to grow through his graduate studies at Michigan State University, not only changed the trajectory of Broder’s life, but also the character of CAES and UGA. Broder’s commitment to innovative teaching and meaningful student experiences is inextricably woven into the fabric of UGA’s teaching culture, but he claims the passion for excellence in teaching he has become renowned for resulted from his first evaluation as a teaching assistant in graduate school.

“It was terrible, there’s no way around it,” Broder said. “I had a challenging group in that class, but I learned that when you teach you have to do so much more than just lecture — you have to get students involved in a hands-on way.”

Even after he left the classroom for administrative roles, Broder’s commitment to quality teaching never wavered. In 1999, he and some other colleagues at the university founded the UGA Teaching Academy, a faculty-organized and faculty-driven association that celebrates excellence in teaching and fosters a collaborative learning environment for teaching faculty. He established the Hans and Margrit Broder Student Support Fund in 2008 and the Broder Global Support Fund in 2016, both designed to support student success through hands-on learning. The Broder-Ackermann Global Citizen Award recognizes a CAES student who has embraced global citizenship in their own community or globally through participation, promotion or leadership of international initiatives.

 One of Broder’s most lasting legacies is the Congressional Agricultural Fellows program, a 12-week summer fellowship that enables CAES students to live and work on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

 Established in 1997, the program has sent 137 CAES students to the nation’s capital since its founding and has been used as a blueprint by other colleges at UGA to create their own internships and fellowships with federal lawmakers. The Congressional Agricultural Fellowship has been the catalyst for countless careers in national and state politics, public policy, and advocacy under Broder’s leadership.

 “I’m just here for the students,” Broder said.

 Upon his retirement, those students, along with numerous colleagues, former employees, and UGA administrators were there to help celebrate his long legacy.

 Broder’s legacy of successful leadership, meaningful scholarship and real change for students is promised to continue with the establishment of the Josef M. Broder Global Engagement Scholarship in his honor by the UGA Foundation. The fund will support experiential learning opportunities for generations of current and future students.

 As he enters a well-earned retirement, Broder plans to enjoy time with his family while continuing to teach his First Year Odyssey Seminar course for students across UGA. He and his wife, Diane, have three adult children, Elizabeth, Josef and Michael, and seven grandchildren, ranging in age from three months to 12 years. 

“I’m sure I’ll continue to be busy, but I’m looking forward to this time and excited about what is to come in my life and in the life of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences,” he said.