2024 Annual Distinguished Purdue Alumni Scholars call for nominations

The Office of the Provost, in partnership with the Susan Bulkeley Butler Center for Leadership Excellence, is pleased to announce the 2024 Annual Distinguished Purdue Alumni Scholars award to honor alumni who have earned a Purdue doctorate, made significant scholarly contributions to their respective academic communities, and in doing so have contributed extensively to the advancement of women in academia.

This award not only recognizes these academic alumni of distinction, but also acknowledges and celebrates the contributions of Purdue faculty in mentoring these successful scholars and highlights Purdue’s role in diversifying university faculty across the nation. At the same time, the award demonstrates to undergraduate and graduate students the many benefits of a Purdue graduate degree. The hope is that the recipients will be role models to all scholars in the making. 

The award criteria are an earned doctorate from Purdue, distinguished scholarly success within one’s chosen field, and a demonstrated contribution to the advancement of women in academia. A Purdue Master of Fine Arts in all areas of the Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance, with the exception of art education, will also be eligible for nomination of the award. All alumni, regardless of sex, who meet the award criteria, including having made significant contributions to the advancement of women in academia, are eligible to be nominated for this award.

Honorees will be invited to participate in a reception on March 22. In addition, the home departments of the honorees are encouraged to welcome back their alumni and introduce them to current graduate and undergraduate students.

Nominations are due by 5 p.m. Feb. 1. Upload nomination packets here and include the following documents: 

• Letter of nomination outlining the nominee’s achievements since graduating from Purdue. Include details of scholarly, leadership, teaching and engagement accomplishments, and the nominee’s contributions to the advancement of women in academia. The nomination letter can be up to a maximum of only three pages.
• Nominee’s most recent CV.
• Support letter from two references who could speak to each nominee’s record of distinction. Each letter can be a maximum of two pages.

A committee of faculty members will review the nominations/applications and finalize the award recipients.

Past honorees

• 2023: Patrice Buzzanell, Gladys Francis, Seetha Raghavan
• 2022: Elena Ianchovichina, Delita Martin, Sulma Mohammed, Susan Rodger, Senay Simsek, Lesley Sneed
• 2021: Nicole Key, Bhramar Mukherjee
• 2020: Lynda Ciuffetti, Cassander Smith, Trisha Van Zandt
• 2019: Karyl Rickard, Katherine Yutzey
• 2018: Christine Ladisch, Kay Lawton, Deborah McDowell, Marilyn Speedie
• 2017: Caula Beyl, Kristine Blair, Yael Edan, Vicki McCracken, Marcy Towns
• 2016: Talya Bauer, Kara Hoffman, Tuajuanda Jordan, Angela Barron McBride