Staff Excellence: Purdue for Life Foundation — Office of Special Events

When you’re an event planner, no two days are the same — especially in the weeks leading up to a celebration. And when you’re part of a 20-person team that organizes roughly 200 events for around 50,000 Boilermakers each year, there’s no telling what situation you may be navigating at any given hour.

Under pressure is where the Purdue for Life Foundation’s Office of Special Events staff members thrive. Whether planning an intimate gathering of 10 or orchestrating a campuswide celebration for thousands, they always strive to rise to the occasion, relying on their precision, adaptability and ingenuity to masterfully guide each event from concept to completion.

“We have a really strong team,” says Lance Connolly, vice president of special events. “And we have a lot of people who have been on the team for a long time, which is really unheard of in the event world. But when you’re working as fast and as hard as we are, that team and family feel is important, and it’s something we’re proud of.”

Nimble is the name of the game when you’re overseeing massive annual events like Grandparents University, the Boilermaker Ball and homecoming. And though a significant portion of the team’s work focuses on crafting those signature experiences that directly connect with alumni, donors, friends, and fans and strengthen their engagement with Purdue, Connolly’s team is also often pulled into planning some of the university’s big moments through high-visibility events and gatherings that support Purdue’s Board of Trustees, Office of the President and various other executive offices.

No matter which one they’re tackling, the recipe for success boils down to combining creativity with logistics, and Connolly’s team is structured by his staff members’ prowess in either one.

The creatives in the Office of Special Events are the architects behind an event’s aesthetic. Their keen eye for detail lends itself to selecting small touches like florals, linens and flatware while also shaping defining aspects like entertainment and programming. Those savvy in logistics are akin to the builders. They’re the force behind the event’s execution, using their spreadsheets, timelines and packing lists to make sure everything goes according to plan, and if it doesn’t, they’re prepared for that, too.

“This work is high stakes and very stressful, so we all have to have each other’s backs because it’s the live event production business, and something can go wrong at any minute,” Connolly says. “When it does, you shift and move on — it’s just all part of it.”

The fusion of these staff members’ talents leads to spectacular results, like Purdue Homecoming 2025, a weekend of festivities that included 11 different events organized by Connolly’s team.

Their excellence shone on Boilermaker Boulevard, where the image of Purdue Pete was carved into a 1,000-pound pumpkin. It radiated in University Hall, where a rededication ceremony brought history to life in the form of a John Purdue actor. And it dazzled in Mackey Arena, where thousands of Boilermakers gathered for a three-act program showcasing “Victories & Heroes: Your Campaign for Purdue.”

In true Purdue fashion, ordinary is never par for the course, and when it comes to innovation, the Office of Special Events knows no bounds.

“I think the one thing that’s unique about our team is we really think deeply about the event and how that experience translates to the guest,” Connolly says. “We don’t want to do the same event every year and rinse and repeat the look and feel. We want to take into account how we’re going to engage these people so they feel excited and engaged with the university on all levels.”

As a full fall schedule gives way to winter, Connolly’s team is already busy planning its next six months of celebrations. And if history is any indication, these staff members’ ambitious ideas and methodical operations will continue to launch it toward even bigger, better and bolder endeavors that drum up pride for Purdue and its legacy of giant leaps — a legacy well worth celebrating.