{"id":2904,"date":"2025-09-16T08:05:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T08:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/operations\/?p=2904"},"modified":"2025-09-08T18:21:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T18:21:12","slug":"we-power-purdue-celebrating-the-service-workers-who-keep-campus-thriving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/operations\/blog\/2025\/09\/16\/we-power-purdue-celebrating-the-service-workers-who-keep-campus-thriving\/","title":{"rendered":"We Power Purdue: Celebrating the Service Workers Who Keep Campus Thriving"},"content":{"rendered":"
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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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Cathy is more than a caretaker of Purdue\u2019s flowers, she is a symbol of the dedication, passion and pride that service workers bring to their roles every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We power Purdue means I help make campus beautiful for the staff, students and visitors so they can enjoy the campus<\/p>\n\n <\/blockquote>\n

Cathy Alkire<\/p>\n

Horticulture Specialist for the Grounds Department<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This fall, Administrative Operations is launching a new storytelling campaign: We Power Purdue.<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s success.<\/p>\n\n\n

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See Cathy’s Full Story<\/h2>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

How to join in recognition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We Power Purdue<\/strong> is about more than sharing stories, it is about celebrating people. Students, faculty and staff can show appreciation by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n