Sandra K. Monroe  

For almost forty-five years, Sandy Monroe was committed to improving the quality of the student experience at Purdue.  During that period, she held positions as a counselor, Assistant Dean of Students, Associate Dean of Students, Director of the On Call Team for students in crisis, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, and Executive Director of University Undergraduate Academic Advising.

In her role as Executive Director of University Undergraduate Academic Advising, Sandy facilitated the coordination of undergraduate academic advising, including practices associated with advising in a decentralized college-based advising environment for both professional and faculty advisors. In her role as Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Sandy was actively engaged in advocating for student success and served as a liaison between the Vice President’ s office and the departments within the Division of Student Affairs. In addition, she co-chaired the University’s Behavior Assessment Team and the Residency Review Committee. Her responsibilities while serving in the Office of the Dean of Students extended over twenty years and spanned a broad scope of responsibilities.  In her role as Assistant Dean, she served as the University’s advisor to fifteen cooperative houses and their governing bodies.  Other responsibilities included academic advising for the Unclassified Program and teaching a class on career exploration. Sandy began her employment at Purdue as a generalist counselor and ombudsperson.

Sandy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in humanities social studies and education at Purdue with a major in history and teaching endorsements in history, psychology, and sociology.  Notable is that she completed a semester of student teaching on the Navajo Indian Reservation at Kayenta Boarding School, Kayenta, Arizona through The American Indian Project at Indiana University. She completed her master’s degree in Counseling and Personnel Services (college student personnel), also at Purdue.

Over the years, Sandy has remained involved in national professional organizations and has presented numerous programs and workshops at national, state and local meetings on a wide range of topics related to issues impacting students and college campuses. She is the recipient of the Special Boilermaker Award, the Helen B. Schleman Award, the M. Beverley Stone Counseling Award, and the Student Services Career Award; she is also an honorary member of Iron Key honor society, Mortar Board and served as a mentor to the Purduettes.

Sandy is a native daughter of Indiana and grew up on a farm near Seymour, Indiana.  She holds strong ties to the farm and the community where she grew up and continues to care deeply about farming and agriculture.  She is married to Dr. James Westman, the former Director of the Purdue University Student Health Center.  They have two sons, Blake and Bryce; both graduated from Purdue University.