Joseph L. Bennett

Vice President of University Relations

Joe Bennett has been Vice President for University Relations at Purdue University since 1989. He came to Purdue in 1981 as Director of Public Information and subsequently served as Director of University Relations.

Prior to joining Purdue he served as News Bureau Manager and Assistant Director of Public Information at Penn State University for three years. His earlier career was spent as a journalist, initially with the Indianapolis News and later with the Pittsburgh Press. At various times he was a reporter, copy editor, news editor, makeup editor, Sunday magazine writer, and book and music reviewer.

A native of Lewis Run, Pennsylvania, he graduated from Duquesne University in 1965 and subsequently served three years as a shipboard officer in the U.S. Navy.

The author of the book Boilermaker Music Makers: Al Stewart and the Purdue Musical Organizations, he has won a number of awards for writing and college public relations. He is a member of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education and is past president of Indiana CASE. He is past president of Greater Lafayette United Way, a member of the advisory board of the Salvation Army, and past president of the American Lung Association.

He and his wife Adele live in West Lafayette. They have two daughters, Amy and Maggie.