hodge received a bachelor's degree in political science in 1963 from michigan state university. as an undergrad at michigan state, hodge formed a steel band called the bamboushay steel band consisting of himself, ariel melchior jr. (the future publisher of the "virgin islands daily news") and his brother, winston hodge. following his graduation from michigan state in 1963, worked as a teacher at schools in new york and the u.s. virgin islands, including brooklyn college, elena christian junior high school in saint croix and the college of the virgin islands. in 1966, hodge competed as a center basketball player at the 1966 central american and caribbean games in san juan with the u.s. virgin islands basketball team.