This week’s ‘Thumbs Up’ recipients

Rodney Scott

I’d like to recognize Rod (Operations and Maintenance) for taking the extra step to blow off the sidewalks after the Grounds crew cut our grass. Not only is this a thoughtful gesture for everyone’s safety, but it also keeps our space looking its best. Thank you, Rod, for looking out for others and taking pride in our workplace! — Terri Griffin (Operations and Maintenance)

Hawkins Hall team

I want to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation to the Building Services and Operations and Maintenance teams for the outstanding work you do every day. Hawkins Hall remains safe, clean and functional because of your dedication, skill and care. You are often the first to arrive and the last to leave, working behind the scenes to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Whether it’s keeping our spaces spotless, repairing equipment, responding quickly to urgent needs or tackling the unexpected, your commitment and professionalism never go unnoticed. Thank you for all that you do every day! I truly appreciate it! — Carol Brawner (Residential Housing Operations)

Aspire team

Aspire is a beast! I want to give a big shoutout to the Building Services staff and Operations and Maintenance staff members who have once again tamed this beast! Aspire is a lot! It takes the hard work, dedication and organization of a lot of people to make this building ready before our students move in, and you guys made it happen again this year! Your hard work is not unnoticed, and I want to make sure everyone knows about the rockstar team that made it happen. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! — Carol Brawner (Residential Housing Operations)

Maggie O’Connor and Max Dryer

A huge thanks to Maggie (Honors College) and Max (Student Success) for putting together such great materials for Fulbright Week 2025. They knock it out of the park every time and usually do so ahead of schedule! I appreciate their camaraderie, resilience, reliability and commitment to quality. They are an invaluable part of the Purdue team, and we at the National and International Scholarships Office are privileged to call them colleagues. — Lindsay Sheedy and the NISO team

Sherry Smith and Ainsley Wunar

Thumbs up for Sherry and Ainsley (both Daniels School of Business)! This week, we hosted a quantum computing workshop in Rawls Hall for 23 scientists from across the state. Early on, I connected with Sherry and Ainsley to ask a few questions about building logistics. They responded immediately with a consistently positive and joyful demeanor and answered all of my questions. They also went above and beyond to help us secure our items overnight and retrieve them each day. Their support made a huge difference in the success of our event. Every interaction with them left me feeling uplifted and confident. Sherry and Ainsley truly made my week easier and brighter, and I’m incredibly grateful for their kindness and professionalism. — Eric Adams (Rosen Center for Advanced Computing)

Kim Cantu

We want to take a moment to shine a spotlight on one of our incredible colleagues, Kim Cantu (Purdue Global). As the Doctor of Education in Leadership and Innovation (EdD) program scheduler, Kim has once again gone above and beyond to ensure a seamless (and mostly flawless) start to the new term for our doctoral candidates. Kim’s tireless efforts, often on late nights and weekends, are a testament to her unwavering dedication to our students’ success. Her grace, patience and meticulous attention to detail have been instrumental in navigating the complex logistics of scheduling, and we are incredibly fortunate to have her on our team. Her commitment to providing a supportive and organized experience for our students is truly commendable! Please join me in offering a heartfelt kudos to Kim for her remarkable work! Thank you! — Dena AuCoin (Purdue Global) and the EdD team

Residential Life Student Staff Training Committee

A big thumbs-up to the Residential Life Student Staff Training Committee for a phenomenal week of student staff training. The committee worked hard all summer to plan and prepare to train nearly 400 Residential Life student staff. It was a packed week of presentations and training sessions from staff and campus partners. It could not have happened without a great team! The Student Staff Training Committee included Tatyana Mays, Rick Towers, Charles Stembler, Maggie Voisin, Priscilla Goodwine, Connor Wilson, Coree Burton, Sammi Tayek (all Resident Activities) and Brian Kocher (Campus Living and Compliance). — Adam Iserman (Resident Activities)

Volunteers for the Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium

With over 450 student presentations from July 28 to Aug. 1, we had a wonderful turnout of volunteers who provided important day-of logistical support to the symposium’s operations. As undergraduate research conferences continue to grow, volunteers are essential to ensure that these valuable learning experiences are smoothly executed. Thank you! — Office of Undergraduate Research

Ryan Tyson and his crew

Thanks to Ryan (Environmental Health and Safety) and all of his crew members for cleanup and remediation after a multi-floor water leak in our department. Ryan’s crew was able to get all of our spaces back to normal prior to several of our fall semester events taking place this week. — Ryan Good (Agricultural Economics)

Those who helped transport water in Young Hall

I’d like to give a huge thumbs-up to the incredible crew members who helped with moving more than 5,000 pounds of water from the lobby of Young Hall all the way up to the seventh floor. This was no small task, and the teamwork, positive attitude and willingness to jump in and get it done were outstanding. Thank you, Carmen Buck (Graduate School); Ashlyn Ruff (Student Success Technologies); Karla Cunningham (Exploratory Studies); and Ryan Jones, Cameron Wilson, Ali Scales, Brooke Turner, Holly Keckler and Jo Jones (all Registrar), for going above and beyond! — Molly Gilbert (Student Success Technologies)

Angela Zickmund, Miranda Meyer and Benito Martinez

Congratulations to the Office of Summer and Winter Sessions’ Summer Beginners and Pathways programs in West Lafayette and Indianapolis for welcoming first-year students to campus this summer to participate in the Early Start program. Angela, Miranda and Benito’s (all Office of Summer and Winter Sessions) efforts in collaborating with campus colleagues helped to facilitate a successful program and lasting memories for these Boilermakers! — Sean Dufault (Office of Summer and Winter Sessions)

Tiffany Camplin and Jeramie Crupper

Thanks to Tiffany and Jeramie (Operations and Maintenance) for repairing the HVAC system in the Duncan Annex of the Max W and Maileen Brown Family Hall building last week. Within a few hours of arriving at an abnormally warm office suite, they repaired the system and restored the A/C throughout the building. — Joshua Harley (Purdue IT)

Chris Krull

Chris (Student Success) and the entire Teaching and Learning team in Indianapolis work tirelessly to keep students informed, engaged and having fun while making the Boilermaker family proud! What a great start to the school year to have you leading the way with such amazing spirit! Thank you for all that you do; you are appreciated! — Adrianne Heimbach (Office of the Provost)

Nathan Caldwell and Ryan Dale

Thank you to Nathan and Ryan (Purdue Brand Studio) for your hard work and quick response in setting up and streaming our opening meeting, even with last-minute requests! We rely on your services often, and you consistently deliver with excellence. We truly appreciate all that you do! — Nicky Federer (Engineering Technology)

Jill Mears, Trina Martin and Jennifer Akridge

Jill, Trina (both Construction Management Technology) and Jennifer (Finance) have been a huge part of my career at the Indianapolis location and have been very supportive in helping me achieve my goals here at Purdue! I feel that they should be recognized for their professionalism, patience, dedication and generosity. They have always made themselves available to help me understand the processes and procedures of the program, regularly taking time out of their busy days to coach and teach me and my colleague during the transition. Thank you a million times over for everything you taught me, whether it was through email, phone, Microsoft Teams or in person. Each one of you has impacted me in a positive light, and I am very thankful for you being here for me whenever I had a question. — Julie Schaadt (Office of the Provost)