January 10, 2005

Award for adult learners to honor memory of former assistant dean

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Adult learners need to apply by Feb. 15 to be considered for the first Peg Sullivan Achievement Award at Purdue University, which will be given to full-time students who were previous recipients of a Span Plan grant.

"Span Plan grants are available each semester for part-time adult learners," said Dorothy Hughes, counselor for the Span Plan Program. "These awards will serve as a continuation of financial support through the Span Plan Program for adult students who have made the transition to full-time coursework."

Sullivan, who died in July, was an assistant dean of students at Purdue for 15 years. As director of the Span Plan Program, which assists and encourages adult, non-traditional students, she designed and taught an eight-week orientation course and a life-career planning class for adults. She originated and advised the Adult Students' Association of Purdue, brought Alpha Sigma Lambda (an adult student honorary) to Purdue's campus, and served as an adviser for many other student organizations.

"Peg was known for her quality of character, her ability to overcome adversity, her volunteerism and her leadership at Purdue and in the Greater Lafayette community," Hughes said. "Her contribution to the Span Plan Program is a legacy that will continue in her absence."

The successful applicants will be awarded $1,000 each. In addition to having received a previous grant from Span Plan, applicants also must be a full-time student without a previous bachelor's degree. They must have completed at least 12 credit hours at Purdue's West Lafayette campus or Lafayette's Statewide Technology site, and earned a minimum grade point average of 3.0.

The students will be required to show evidence of financial need and must submit a personal essay outlining reasons why they should receive the award.

Interested students may download an application from the Span Plan Adult Student Services Web site or pick up an application in the Office of the Dean of Students in Schleman Hall, Room 207.

For more information, contact Span Plan director Lynne Horngren at (765) 494-1257, horngren@purdue.edu.

Writer: Maggie Morris, (765) 494-2432, maggiemorris@purdue.edu

Source: Dorothy Hughes, (765) 494-7662, djhughes@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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