Professor's gifts enhance Purdue students' educational opportunities
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Gifts totaling more than $400,000 have previously been given to Purdue from Margaret Wood and her late husband Leonard E. Wood to support students' educational programs. In addition, Margaret Wood has provided a deferred gift of more than $2 million in honor of her late husband for continued educational opportunities.
Leonard Wood was a teacher, researcher and consultant in the School of Civil Engineering for 37 years before he retired in 1993 and continued to volunteer as coordinator of the Cooperative Education Program in Civil Engineering until his death in 2004.
"My husband dedicated his life to teaching and touched so many lives. He was not just a teacher; he was also a mentor, confidant, counselor, friend and he did everything with a splash of good humor," Margaret Wood said. "He remained in close contact with many of his former students long after they left Purdue and turned to him for his advice. These gifts are a wonderful way to continue providing support for students for generations to come."
After serving in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Leonard Wood earned bachelor's and master's degrees in chemical engineering from Kansas State University in 1947 and 1948, respectively, and a doctorate degree in civil engineering from Purdue in 1956. He remained at Purdue as a teacher, researcher and consultant in bituminous materials and mixtures including asphalt pavement engineering.
While at Purdue, he received the Ross Judson Buck Outstanding Counselor Award in the School of Civil Engineering, developed six new courses: material science; bituminous materials and mixtures; inelastic behavior of materials; gem mineralogy — Earth material and mineral aggregates; engineering properties of materials of the Earth; and aggregates — evaluation and production. He also authored and co-authored many papers, including 40 technical papers through 1984.
He used his expertise in his chosen area, not only within the university but throughout the world with consulting, workshops, short courses, seminars, research projects and publications.
At Purdue, he founded the Class of 1993's Cooperative Engineering Program newsletter called "Wood Chips." The newsletter, which shares information about alumni and career opportunities, is still in production with members of the class and publishes annually.
"Leonard Wood was a legend to Purdue civil engineering students," said Purdue President Martin C. Jischke. "He knew how to connect with students and was known for riding his bicycle around campus — something that was captured in photographs and even in a cartoon drawn by a visiting professor.
"It seems appropriate that Leonard will continue to influence students and provide them with educational opportunities through these programs established by his wife, Margaret."
The new endowments, named for Leonard Wood, provide funding to support workshops, seminars and conferences as well as scholarships and recognition awards for undergraduate and graduate students in the School of Civil Engineering. Also, funds will benefit students involved in Purdue's Cooperative Education Program and the Purdue men's basketball team.
"Leonard provided great leadership for the students and made sure the students received the public recognition and the support they deserved," said Cheryl Krueckeberg, assistant director of Purdue's Professional Practice Program. "Leonard was instrumental in increasing the number of students in the cooperative education program. During his tenure as faculty coordinator he touched the lives of more than 1,000 students. He was persistent in working with the students.
"Between 1999 and 2003, he placed 100 percent of the students who came to him seeking work experience. No other faculty coordinator had anywhere near that level of success with placement. I attribute that growth and program success to Leonard's support, wisdom and passion for the merits of the cooperative education program."
The couple previously established the Leonard and Margaret Wood School of Civil Engineering Chi Epsilon Chapter Fund, that supports the national dues of all students who qualify to be members of Chi Epsilon, the national honorary society for civil engineering. The fund also supports the scholarships to Chi Epsilon Student Chapter members at Purdue who have demonstrated leadership and academic achievement.
Leonard Wood served as adviser to Chi Epsilon Honorary Fraternity for many years, was later elected by the students to be a chapter honor member and was elevated to chapter trustee in 2004 when the national conclave was held at Purdue.
He was a registered professional engineer in Kansas and Indiana and a member of the American Society for Testing and Materials Board of Directors, American Society of Engineering Education, Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists, Sigma Xi, Sigma Gamma, Epsilon, the Joint Transportation Research Board, Academy of Science, several engineering honor societies and many other professional organizations. Also at Purdue, he was a member of the Athletic Affairs Committee. He also was a former president of the Wabash Gem and Mineral Society and Lion's Club, and was a member of the United Methodist Church and Masonic Lodge.
Leonard Wood served for 36 years as the adviser of the Purdue Chapter of Acacia Fraternity. He also was a member of the President’s Council, John Purdue Club, R.B. Stewart Society, Purdue Alumni Association and on the advisory board of the Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program at Purdue. He received the Purdue Pinnacle Award, the highest award bestowed by Purdue, posthumously from Jischke in a President's Council ceremony last fall.
"It is fitting that Leonard would receive the Purdue Pinnacle Award for his generosity and respect of Purdue," Jischke said.
Writer: Cynthia Sequin, (765) 494-4192, csequin@purdue.edu
Sources: Martin C. Jischke, (765) 494-9708
Cheryl Krueckeberg, (765) 494-7428, krueck@ecn.purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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