Shelby reflects on time serving the Boilermaker family, looks ahead to more time with her family

Carol Shelby
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Having served four presidents and two interim presidents, Carol Shelby has played a key role for countless campus initiatives and events during her more than 30 years at Purdue. She started with the University as parking manager, and she is preparing to retire from her role as senior director of Environmental Health and Public Safety (EHPS). Shelby says assisting with safety and security for students, employees and visitors as they lived, worked and played on campus has provided her with some of her fondest memories.

Reflecting on her time with the University, Shelby says it is not only the events like Big Ten athletics, Boiler Gold Rush and commencements she will remember, but also other EHPS team accomplishments that will continue to provide a foundation for safety across the campus community. Some of those include the policies and programs supporting workplace safety and regulatory compliance – the Integrated Safety Plan, the fire department becoming an advanced life support emergency medical services provider and the police department becoming accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. Shelby says the creation of the Emergency Preparedness and Planning Office will always be part of her legacy.

“In 2006, we developed the campus Integrated Emergency Management Plan to share with the campus community,” she says. “Today, the University has a strong foundation to address all kinds of emergencies, and it is successful because students, faculty, staff and visitors plan ahead and execute safe practices as they enjoy our ever-changing campus.”

When asked about some of the challenges she faced during her time as senior director, she says she tried not to look at issues as challenges but rather opportunities to provide ongoing leadership with purpose. Assisting with navigating the COVID-19 pandemic provided her such an opportunity.

“The Purdue community came together with new and innovative ideas on how to address an illness that we knew very little about,” she says. “We were able to return to class and continue research with very little risk to the campus and surrounding communities.”

In addition to building a legacy of safety, preparedness and response, Shelby says it is the many colleagues and acquaintances she will miss most.

“I will miss the many relationships I have built over the years. I took good advice I received early on and took every opportunity to engage with a wide variety of our community members throughout my career.”

As she reflects on her time as a leading member of the Boilermaker family, she also looks ahead to more time with her family. 

“I am going to take a couple of months to relax. In particular, I will spend time with family and friends, work outdoors, travel and read,” Shelby says.

A retirement reception in honor of Shelby will be held from 1:30 to 3 p.m. June 28 in the interior bridge between Elliott Hall of Music and Hovde Hall. Those planning to attend should follow the signs from Hovde’s southwest ADA entrance. Formal remarks will begin at 2:15 p.m.

Shelby’s retirement will result in organizational changes to Administrative Operations, effective July 1. More information about those changes is available in a recent memo from Michael B. Cline, senior vice president of administrative operations.