For Cathy Alkire, a horticulture specialist with Grounds since 1989, pride comes in the form of tulips in the spring, petunias in the summer and mums in the fall. Her colorful campus landscapes have become a backdrop for countless photos, memories and everyday walks across Purdue.
Her days often begin before sunrise, watering flowers while most of campus is still asleep. Cathy brainstorms designs for flower beds, nurtures seedlings in the greenhouse and oversees the planting of tens of thousands of blooms each year. She keeps a watchful eye on beds and landscaping across campus, making sure they thrive through every season.
But Cathy is more than a caretaker of Purdue’s flowers, she is a symbol of the dedication, passion and pride that service workers bring to their roles every day.
We power Purdue means I help make campus beautiful for the staff, students and visitors so they can enjoy the campus
Cathy Alkire
Horticulture Specialist for the Grounds Department
This fall, Administrative Operations is launching a new storytelling campaign: We Power Purdue. Through video features released throughout the semester, the campaign will spotlight individuals like Cathy, people whose work is often behind the scenes but essential to making Purdue run smoothly.
From keeping campus safe and clean to building and maintaining the spaces where Boilermakers learn, live and connect, service workers are at the heart of Purdue’s success.
Writing a note of appreciation to a service worker in a building or department.
Sharing words of thanks in the comments on social media posts as new stories are released.
Each of these gestures, whether big or small, helps show the impact of service workers’ efforts and reminds them how much they are valued.
More stories to come
Cathy’s story is just the beginning. Over the next few months, We Power Purdue will continue to highlight service workers across campus, from Building Services to Grounds to skilled trades and more. Each feature will shine a light on the people whose pride and passion power Purdue forward.
Join us in celebrating Cathy’s story, and stay tuned as We Power Purdue continues recognizing the individuals whose work helps make Purdue a world-class place to learn, work and grow.
