Nominations sought for Special Boilermaker Award

Nominations are being accepted for the Special Boilermaker Award, given annually by the Purdue Alumni Association Board of Directors.

The Purdue Alumni Association (PAA) established the Special Boilermaker Award in 1981 to recognize a member of the Purdue faculty or staff who has contributed significantly to the quality of life and/or the betterment of the educational experience for a substantial number of students.

Consideration will be given to nominee contributions that meet all of the following criteria:

• Taking initiative in the creative solution of problems
• Unselfishly contributing time and effort
• Being a “silent leader”
• Devoting time to efforts beyond professional expectations

Nominations should be submitted to paa@purdueforlife.org by 5 p.m. on June 1.

Nominations can be made by any person or group affiliated with Purdue, including students, faculty, staff or alumni. Nominators may submit only one nominee for the 2026 Special Boilermaker Award.

Each nomination must include a one-page description of the nominee’s contributions as they relate to Purdue student life. Submissions must also include contact information for both the nominator and the nominee. To be eligible, nominees must have seven or more years of employment with the university.

More information on the award, including past winners, is available on the Purdue for Life website. The winner will be chosen by the PAA Special Boilermaker Award selection committee.

Recipients will be honored during an on-field award presentation at a Purdue football game, and a nameplate will be added to a plaque in the Dick and Sandy Dauch Alumni Center as well as the awards obelisk on the Purdue Mall.

For additional information, contact Joel Hartman, senior director of volunteerism and campus engagement for the Purdue for Life Foundation, at jbhartman@purdueforlife.org or 765-494-0430.