Purdue Today to present profiles on Title IX service awardees

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Title IX, Purdue has recognized 40 individuals with the Title IX Distinguished Service Award for their significant contributions to the advancement of gender equity in education. Profiles on the recipients will be presented in Purdue Today each month, starting with Evelyn Blackwood, Roger Blalock, Beth Brooke, Morgan Burke and Susan Bulkeley Butler.

Evelyn Blackwood

To many at Purdue and beyond, Evelyn Blackwood is more than just an educator. She’s a pioneer, advocate and mentor in the area of gender equity.

The Purdue anthropology professor has taught a wide range of courses, including Gender Across Cultures, Sexual Diversity in Global Perspective, and Introduction to LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Studies. She provided leadership in the development of a new LGBT Studies minor, which will be available at Purdue in fall 2013. She’s also published many scholarly articles and books on sexuality and gender, particularly women’s same-sex sexualities and transgender identities globally. Her graduate students at Purdue are currently conducting research on the transgender and lesbian communities in the U.S. and Asia.

A strong advocate for women’s and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer issues, Blackwood has provided leadership on gender equity and educational issues not just at Purdue, but also locally, nationally and internationally. She is involved in a variety of professional organizations, and has held offices in the Association for Feminist Anthropology, the International Association for the Study of Sexuality, Culture and Society, and is on the advisory board for the Hong Kong University Press Queer Asia book series.

Blackwood received her degrees from Stanford University, San Francisco State University, and the King’s College in New York, and is a strong supporter and fan of Purdue women’s basketball.

Roger Blalock

To the women of Purdue's Intercollegiate Athletics and its sports teams, Roger Blalock served as a major advocate for equity.

Blalock, a former Purdue basketball player and assistant coach, became a prominent figure in Intercollegiate Athletics over the past 18 years. Until his retirement in 2012 as Purdue's senior associate athletics director, he worked to ensure that women had an equal voice in athletics, and that their opportunities were not diminished due to discrimination.

Blalock was a champion for equity for women's sports, working to acquire more resources and better coaches for the teams in order to provide female student-athletes with the same opportunities to compete as males. When he was appointed to the NCAA National Track and Field and Cross Country Committee, Blalock fought to create the same high-quality championship experience for female student-athletes as the men's national championships provided.

Blalock, who received his degree from Purdue in 1969, also served in Purdue's Office of Admissions from 1981 to 1992. Blalock receives the Title IX Distinguished Service Award posthumously.

Beth Brooke

Beth Brooke has been a leading advocate for gender equality issues at the national and global level.

Brooke joined Ernst & Young, a worldwide consulting firm, in 1981. She is now the company's global vice chair of public policy, as well as its sponsor of diversity and inclusiveness efforts.

Brook also chairs the board of The White House Project, which focuses on promoting leadership in women of business and politics by fostering connections and educating women on innovative and effective leadership strategies. At the request of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Brooke also serves on the International Council on Women's Business Leadership.

Brooke has been named four times to Forbes' annual "World's 100 Most Powerful Women" list. She is a Purdue graduate and also the first woman to receive a scholarship to play basketball at Purdue.

Morgan Burke

As Purdue's director of intercollegiate athletics, Morgan Burke has been an encouraging force for both female student-athletes and women seeking leadership positions within the athletic community.

Burke's vision of creating an all-inclusive student-athlete experience has led to a more positive experience for women. Burke frequently meets with female recruits, attends competitions and applauds their performances. He is known for his non-contrived decisions, which benefit female student-athletes by simply improving situations for both genders.

Burke also serves as a mentor and supporter of women seeking nontraditional leadership roles in intercollegiate athletics. In a recent example, Burke promoted Barb Kapp to the position of senior associate athletics director for business services, which had been held by men for the entirety of Purdue's history.

Burke is a 1973 graduate of Purdue and has been serving as athletics director for 20 years.

Susan Bulkeley Butler

Susan Bulkeley Butler is a prominent advocate for women in leadership, both at Purdue and across the nation.

One of her greatest contributions to Purdue is her endowment of the Susan Bulkeley Butler Center for Leadership Excellence, which offers a variety of programming and initiatives that support women at Purdue. Butler further encourages women through her speeches, mentorship group and one-on-one meetings.

Butler is a well-known author on women in leadership and an advocate for inclusion of women in top-tier professional positions, and has published two books on the subjects.  Both her books, "Women Count: A Guide for Changing the World" and "Become the CEO of You, Inc.," offer strategies for women to reach their full potential in all aspects of their professional lives.