Opening Doors for Future Engineers
Originally housed in the Purdue University College of Engineering, the Don and Liz Thompson MEP Program began in 1974 as the Minority Engineering Program, connecting students with the resources, people and support they need to become outstanding engineers.
More than 50 years later, we continue that legacy by creating pathways into engineering and helping Purdue students thrive. Now a program under the Boilermaker Opportunity Program Plus, MEP focuses efforts on promoting outreach, recruitment and student success initiatives — connecting students with opportunities to build community, develop leadership skills and achieve their academic and professional goals.
A Legacy of Excellence
Since 1974, MEP has been shaping the future of engineering at Purdue. What began as a commitment to bring more underrepresented students into the College of Engineering has grown into a nationally recognized program that has helped more than 3,000 engineers earn their degrees. Our model has been adopted by colleges and universities across the country, and our graduates have gone on to careers that are changing the world.
In 2022, the program was named in honor of Don and Liz Thompson in recognition of their extraordinary support and generosity.
Our Founding Director
Marion Williamson Blalock
(1947–2023)
When Marion Williamson Blalock became the first director in 1974, she didn’t just build a program — she built a legacy. Over the next 34 years, she transformed MEP into a national model that has been replicated at major universities across the country, mentored thousands of students and helped more than 2,300 engineers earn their degrees from Purdue.
To the students she served, Marion was more than a director. She was a mentor, an advocate and, to many, a second mother. Every student who walked through her door was met with the same commitment, care and strength she devoted throughout her life.
Marion was a Purdue alumna herself, earning her bachelor’s degree in sociology and her master’s degree in counseling and personnel services. Before leading MEP, she served as assistant dean of students at Purdue. She retired in August 2008 after more than three decades of service and passed away in 2023, leaving behind a legacy that continues to shape the program today.
Our Namesake
Purdue University, and specifically the MEP Program, opened doors of opportunity for Liz and me. Those doors, and God’s grace, ultimately led to successful careers that yielded economic opportunities to enable us to do what we’re doing.
Don Thompson
Purdue University BSEE ’84