Advising veteran wins the Sandra K. Monroe Excellence in Student Services Award

Sandy Monroe and Rita Baker Download image

Rita Baker, the coordinating academic advisor for the Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation program, is the 2023 winner of the Sandra K. Monroe Excellence in Student Services Award.

Baker, who joined the Purdue staff in 1980, is being honored for her dedication, integrity, leadership and commitment to individualized guidance and care for each student she advises.

“Her deep knowledge of advising, student services, teaching, and her network of advisors and administrators has been invaluable,” said Nathalie Duval-Couetil, director of the Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation program. “Especially in the earlier years as she helped create awareness of and legitimacy for our newly launched academic program.”

The Monroe Award is the latest of several professional honors for Baker. She received the Outstanding Advising Award from PACADA (Purdue Academic Advising Association) and the National Outstanding Advising Award through NACADA (The Global Community for Academic Advising) in 2002 and was recognized with a Special Boilermaker Award in 2016.

Baker retires in June after a 43-year Purdue career in academic advising and student services and said she is honored to receive the Monroe Award.

"How wonderful to be surprised and presented with this very special award in one of the ENTR 20000 classes,” Baker said. “Sandra Monroe and I share a passion for student success and had great role models who led by example and kept it at the forefront of everything we do.  I am very fortunate to have had a long career in the student services arena at Purdue where caring about people – students, faculty and staff – is valued.  This is why this particular award is so meaningful to me.”

The Sandra K. Monroe Excellence in Student Services Award is given annually to one student-facing professional for their policy advocacy and/or exemplary service to students and comes with an award of $1,000.

The Office of the Provost established the award to honor Sandra Monroe’s contributions to Purdue and her legacy of impact. Monroe, who retired in August 2021, was a constant advocate for Boilermakers. During her time at Purdue, she served as a counselor, academic advisor, associate dean of students and assistant vice president for student services, and she helped thousands of undergraduate and graduate students throughout their time on campus.