CLASS NOTES
1950
“I saw that a vintage Ford Trimotor airplane would be on display near my home in Florida, and I told my son, ‘I want to go take a ride!’ He recommended I stay on the ground in case it was a bumpy ride. I am the proud mother of three children, seven grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren, and I tell them all that a college degree is something that no one can take away from you.”
“We are a Boilermaker family through and through! This photo was taken during commencement weekend in May—there are at least 10 more aunts, uncles, and cousins not pictured who are Purdue grads.”
1970
Mark DeFabis (A’77) was elected to the board of directors for Conexus Indiana, a network of industry, education, and public-sector leaders that strengthens Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industries. He is the CEO of Integrated Distribution Services.
Jeffrey Early (M’78) was appointed to the board of trustees for the Wintermann Foundation, which advances medical education and research.
1980
Scott Brand (AAS T’84) was elected vice chairman of the board of directors for Conexus Indiana. He is the executive vice president at Subaru of Indiana Automotive.
Winde Hamrick (ChE’86) was elected to the board of directors for Conexus Indiana. She is the chief operating officer of Heritage Environmental Services.
1990
Tracy Van Auken (S’90) received an ASPIRE award from OneAmerica in recognition of her outstanding performance on behalf of the life insurance, retirement, and employee benefits organization. She has 31 years of experience in the retirement services business.
Cindy (Garson) Lamey (EDU’91) received an ASPIRE award from OneAmerica in recognition of her outstanding performance on behalf of the life insurance, retirement, and employee benefits organization. She has 28 years of service with OneAmerica, including 23 on the meeting and events team.
Kristen (Sweeney) Edwards (NRS’97) was named director of hospital services at Indiana Donor Network. She was previously the chief nursing officer for Ascension St. Vincent in Indianapolis.
James Yang (T’98) received the ASPIRE Outstanding Leadership award from OneAmerica in recognition of his outstanding performance on behalf of the life insurance, retirement, and employee benefits organization. He is the vice president of information security for OneAmerica.
Tiffany (Bloom) Zeigler (LA’98) joined Polsinelli law firm as the chief marketing officer. She has served in marketing and business development roles with law firms since 2002.
2000
Tanmay Dharmadhikari (MS IUPUI’06) was promoted to partner at Cantor Colburn, an intellectual property law firm.
“I was the recipient of the 2022 Distinguished Faculty Award presented by the Saint Anselm College chapter of the American Association of University Professors. The annual award champions a faculty member’s positive contributions to the Saint Anselm community and recognizes excellence in teaching and scholarship. I was cited as a model of mentorship, collegiality, teaching, and academic leadership and praised for the compassion, honesty, and justice I bring to my work.”
The Sharp Triplets
The Sharp Triplets
Nickey Ramsey (HHS’14)
Nickey Ramsey (HHS’14)
Julie (Knapke) Franzer and Wedding Guests
Julie (Knapke) Franzer and Wedding Guests
2010
Alex Brethauer (BME’10) was selected for a fellowship from the Mitch Daniels Leadership Foundation, which supports leaders who break down barriers, build up innovative ideas, and implement creative solutions to improve communities. He is a senior manager of product management at Cook Medical.
“We had girl triplets in June 2021—they are already Boilers at heart!”
Jude Nwaokobia (HHS’13, LA’13) joined Butzel law firm as an associate in its Washington, DC, office.
Nikeytha “Nickey” Ramsey (HHS’14) appeared on Shark Tank and landed a deal for her company, Junobie, which offers a variety of products for breastfeeding mothers, including a reusable breast-milk storage bag.
“Being homeless, going to school with a baby, graduating from Purdue, going to graduate school—all those things take an abundant amount of time, persistence, faith, and money. I had an itch for entrepreneurship. I think it’s that Boilermaker-innovator type thing in me.”
Julie (Knapke) Franzer (A’15) celebrated her marriage with classmates from Purdue.
Melissa Nerino (MS LA’17) was promoted to digital archivist at Industrial Archives & Library. She was previously the associate archivist and librarian, and she will continue in her role as librarian.
2020
Sara Valentine (MS PG’21) was promoted to director of Vital Link Donation Center at Indiana Donor Network.
Destiny White (NE’22) became the first Black woman to complete a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering at Purdue.
“I would tell all the Black girls out there who maybe feel nerdy or feel like they don’t always fit in—there is a path out there for you. Don’t be afraid to follow your dreams. Don’t be afraid to be yourself. I’m cheering for you. The world’s cheering for you.”
Destiny White (NE’22)
Destiny White (NE’22)
HAIL PURDUE
The Purdue Women’s Club commemorated its 100th anniversary on April 7 with a luncheon.
Five club members portrayed influential women from Purdue’s history. From left: Joyce Beery Miles (HHS’65) as Virginia Claypool Meredith, the first woman on the Purdue Board of Trustees; Olivia Wood as Mary L. Matthews, founding dean of the School of Home Economics; Carolyn Jones as Lillian Gilbreth, the first woman professor in the College of Engineering; Mary Alice Nebold (HHS’59, MS HHS’68) as Amelia Earhart, a Purdue career counselor and advisor to the Department of Aeronautics; and Angie (Lipp) Klink (LA’81) as Laura Fry, a professor of industrial arts.
Seven Purdue alumni were inducted into the Purdue ROTC Hall of Fame on April 9.
The honorees were Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Karen H. (Chapman) Gibson (IE’86), the U.S. Senate sergeant at arms; Col. (Ret.) Clarence J. Kaiser (A’52), an honorary colonel of the 152nd Infantry Regiment and an honorary brigadier general in the Illinois State Militia; Lt. Col. (Ret.) Donald L. Marx (ECE’64), a senior consultant to aerospace and IT companies; Col. Brian M. Moore (AAE’93), acting director of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Center of Excellence; Col. (Ret.) Ronald E. Snyder (S’56), former chief of the resources and systems integration division of the U.S. Army Materiel Command; Capt. Wayne F. Henderson (M’64), principal and founder of Capital Dynamics; and Lt. Gen. Christopher “Wedge” Weggeman (S’87), the deputy commander at Air Combat Command in Virginia.
Hall of Fame nominations for 2024 are due by November 1, 2023. For more information, contact David Tate, chair, at dgtate@purdue.edu.
BOOKS
“When I was at Purdue earning my MFA in fiction, I wrote both literary short stories and young adult fiction. I felt pulled in two directions—like I had to choose. Even though I loved both genres, I worried that I couldn’t write and publish both. I wish I could go back in time and give myself a peek of 2022. This year, my young-adult novel Thanks, Carissa, For Ruining My Life was published by Immortal Works Press, and my collection of literary short stories How to Make Paper When the World is Ending was released by Koehler Books. The early drafts—the skeletons—of both these books began when I was a student at Purdue. And now, after years of editing and learning and growing and stepping more fully into my identity as a writer, both of these beautiful, wildly different books are out in the world!” —DALLAS WOODBURN (MFA’13)
Robert Hesselberth (ECE’57) published How to Manage Small Business Cash Flow.
Scott Shuman (MS EDU’94) published A Million Acres and Counting: Sold! Sold! Sold!
Wendell McConnaha (PhD EDU’96) wrote The King of Lokoja: William Balfour Baikie the Forgotten Man of Africa, published by Whittles Publishing.
Doug Morris (MS T’21) wrote This Is Your Captain Speaking: Stories From the Flight Deck, published by ECW Press.
NEW BOOKS FROM PURDUE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Spearheading Environmental Change: The Legacy of Indiana Congressman Floyd J. Fithian
Jill P. May and Robert E. May
Diary of an Alzheimer’s Caregiver
Robert Hershberger
ELECTION RESULTS
ALUMNI TRUSTEE & DIRECTORS
The Purdue Alumni Association is pleased to announce the results of the 2022 alumni trustee and director elections. The appointments were ratified at the annual meeting of the board. Each director will serve a three-year term, which began July 1. The directors serve without compensation.
Malcolm DeKryger (MS A’83) was reelected as an alumni trustee. As a life member of the Purdue Alumni Association and a graduate of Purdue University, DeKryger fulfills the requirements to be appointed to serve on the Purdue University Board of Trustees.
The following alumni were elected to serve on the Purdue Alumni Association Board of Directors:
- Karissa Donnoe Hodson (LA’08) // East
- Justin Baitz (T’03) // Indiana
- Almira Yllana (ChE’99) // Central
- Beth (Stenner) Bostwick (MS M’89) // West and International
- Allison (Gruninger) Manifold (ECE’17) // Young Alumni
- John R. Glass III (M’84) // At Large
- Somita Basu (PG’11) // At Large
Greg Jung (M’94) was appointed to fulfill the one-year term of an Indiana director.
The following executive-committee appointments were announced at the annual meeting:
- Ken Sam (IE’99) // Chair
- Dan Dawes (A’80) // Past Chair
- Danita (Howell) Rodibaugh (HHS’75) // Vice Chair
- Ryan Kay (M’09) // Chair of Finance
- Jon Simpson (T’00) // Chair of Leadership Development and Nominating Committee
- Karissa Donnoe Hodson (LA’08) // Director
- John R. Glass III (M’84) // Director
- Theresa Carter (IE’85) // Alumni Trustee and Appointee to the Purdue for Life Foundation Board of Managers
NOMINATIONS
The Purdue Alumni board is seeking applications for prospective board members. Any Purdue Alumni member may run for an open position.
Nominations may be made by local clubs or by a group of 25 or more Purdue Alumni members. Candidates may also nominate themselves.
Nominations must be submitted online by Tuesday, November 1, 2022.
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