Purdue Alumni Association honors 2013 Special Boilermakers
October 31, 2013
 |
|
The Special Boilermaker Awards were presented on the field at Ross-Ade Stadium during the Purdue vs. Nebraska game on Oct. 12. Pictured from left are Gail Larson, Purdue Alumni Board of Directors chairman; Teresa Eloff, award recipient; Tom Turpin, award recipient; and Kirk Cerny, Purdue Alumni president and CEO. |
The Purdue Alumni Association has named Teresa Eloff and Tom Turpin as the recipients of the 2013 Special Boilermaker Award.
Established in 1981, the Special Boilermaker Award honors a Purdue faculty or staff member who has contributed significantly to improving the quality of life or bettering the educational experience for Purdue students. Eloff and Turpin were recognized during an on-field presentation at the Oct. 12 football game against Nebraska.
Eloff is the director of undergraduate recruiting, retention and placement in the College of Health and Human Sciences. Her passion for and loyalty to Purdue comes across to everyone she has worked with in her nearly 40 years as a recruiter for undergraduates in HHS and Purdue. Recruiting was in its infancy in 1975 when Eloff began her career, and since then, she has talked with thousands of prospective students and their families, introducing them to the many programs of study and other opportunities offered, citing examples of alumni success and answering questions they have. Many of the students and parents never forget Eloff and maintain contact with her over the years, remembering gratefully the positive influence she had on them.
Turpin is a professor in the College of Agriculture's Department of Entomology. Turpin has been Purdue's ambassador at state, national and international levels to hundreds of thousands of students, parents, teachers and friends of Purdue. He has received numerous teaching honors, including the Charles B. Murphy Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching, the Purdue College of Agriculture Outstanding Teacher Award, the CASE Indiana Professor of the Year, and the Distinguished Achievement Award in Teaching from the Entomological Society of America.
Turpin is very active in his community and his profession. He has produced videos, conducted workshops, created games and cartoons, and makes regular appearances on television and radio programs. Turpin created Bug Bowl for what is now Spring Fest, one of Purdue's premier community engagement events, which draws 30,000-40,000 people to campus every year.