Old Masters program announces returning alumni

Ten Old Masters will be returning to campus Nov. 5-7 to celebrate their professional success and inspire current students. While on campus, Old Masters will participate in classroom talks, student organization receptions and a community-wide panel discussion to create relationships with students.

An Old Master is an exceptional person who has made significant contributions to their own field, and this year all are alumni returning to their alma mater to share ideas and experiences with current Boilermakers. Each year, a group of 12 students known as the Central Committee evaluate hundreds of nominations in order to choose 10 deserving candidates.

Alongside these 10 alumni is an Honorary Old Master. This is a faculty or staff member that shares the same passion for mentoring students as the other Old Masters and has achieved high levels of success during their time at Purdue.

The 2017 Old Masters are:

Matt Booty, BS 1988, electrical and computer engineering; MFA 1991, theater sound design. Corporate vice president of Minecraft and Microsoft Studios/Xbox. 

Brian Cardinal, BS 2000, management. Assistant director of John Purdue Club and former NBA player.

Moses Chan, BS 1991, MS 1993, PhD 1999, electrical and computer engineering. Technical fellow of Lockheed Martin Space Systems.

Malcolm DeKryger, MS 1983, animal science. CEO, president and part-owner of Belstra Milling and member of Purdue University Board of Trustees.

Julie Goonewardene, BS 1981, management; MS 2010, health communication. Associate vice chancellor for innovation and strategic investment and managing director at UT Horizon Fund, University of Texas system.

Kathy Kilmer, BS 1992, industrial engineering. Director of sales analytics and insights at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

Ed Langford, BS 1981, landscape architecture. Technical director of Cruise Missile Support Activity and member of U.S. Navy on active duty, 1981-2010.

Katie MacFarlane, PharmD 1989. Founder and managing partner at SmartPharma LLC Consulting.

Anthony Miller, BS 1989, industrial engineering. Co-founder, COO and partner of The Vistria Group and former COO and deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

Ginger Thompson, BA 1986, communications. Senior reporter at ProPublica.

Julia Kalish, Honorary Old Master. BS 1993, organizational leadership and supervision; MS 2000, industrial technology; PhD 2005, technology. Continuing lecturer at Krannert School of Management.

Students and faculty are encouraged to request an Old Master for a classroom talk or organization reception by filling out a form on the Purdue Old Masters website.

The program’s largest event, Evening with the Old Masters, allows the Old Masters to reach a large portion of the student body and Greater Lafayette and to connect by answering questions submitted from the audience. This convocation is open to all and will be held at 5 p.m. Nov. 6 at Stewart Center’s Loeb Playhouse.

Katie Zlajic, Old Masters central committee directing co-chair, says, “We are honored to have these 11 outstanding individuals representing our program this fall. I truly believe that this year, our Old Masters will be able to represent every aspect of campus life and provide a meaningful, engaging and inspiring experience for students, faculty, alumni and the West Lafayette/Lafayette community as a whole.”

The Old Masters program has been a Purdue tradition since 1950. The program is known for connecting distinguished professionals to the student body in order to enrich traditions, unite generations and empower one another to move the world forward together as Boilermakers. Moreover, the program is designed to honor those who have achieved success in their own fields. Past Old Masters have included Jim Miller, vice president of Worldwide Operations, Google Inc. (2012); Ellyn Shook, chief human resource officer, Accenture (2016); and Mitch Daniels, senior vice president of corporate strategy and policy, Eli Lilly and Co. (2000) and current Purdue University president.

More information about this year’s Old Masters, the history of the program, involvement within the program and classroom requests can be found at www.purdueoldmasters.org/.

Writer: Olivia Crouse, 765-480-1322, ocrouse@purdue.edu