Mortar Board kicks off capital campaign, honors retired dean

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University's chapter of Mortar Board, a national senior honor society, celebrated its 80th year during a banquet on Saturday (Sept. 23).

The banquet was the official kickoff of a $50,000 capital campaign to benefit the Mortar Board Scholarships, Awards and Fellowships Endowment Fund, known as SAFE, which is used to support scholarships and fellowships for Purdue students. The organization is seeking donations from Mortar Board alumni and it will match each individual donation up to $50,000 total.

Approximately 100 members and alumni of Mortar Board attended, said Jennifer Mauntel, Mortar Board alumni chair.

Bob and Linda Sorensen spoke at the banquet on behalf of the members from the 1950s and 1960s. Bob Sorensen is currently serving as the president of the Mortar Board National Foundation. He retired as chief information officer of Ivy Tech Community College and Linda retired as guidance director of West Lafayette High School.

Sue Eiler and Kristena LaMar represented the chapter members from the 1970s. Eiler currently works as a therapist at Counseling and Psychological Services at the Purdue University Health Center. LaMar has been a circuit court judge in Portland, Ore.

Rusty Rueff, a Purdue Mortar Board alumnus, made remarks on a DVD that was shown to the audience. The university's Department of Visual and Performing Arts is named after Rusty and his wife, Patti Rueff, in recognition of a $5 million gift to the College of Liberal Arts. Yue-Kong Pao Hall of Visual and Performing Arts also holds a gallery named after the couple.

The banquet also recognized the 50 years of service of Barbara Cook, retired dean of students. The Purdue chapter is named for Cook, who advised the group from 1956-86.

Cook's first experiences with Mortar Board were in 1950 when she was an undergraduate student at the University of Arkansas. It was there she earned her bachelor's degree in sociology in 1951. Cook went on to earn a master's degree in student personnel administration from Syracuse University in 1954 and her doctorate in counseling and personnel services from Purdue in 1967.

She came to Purdue in 1956 as a counselor in the Office of the Dean of Women. Cook would serve as director of the Placement Service for Women, assistant and associate dean of women, and associate dean of students before serving as dean of students from 1980-87. She was a professor of education from 1987 until her retirement two years later.

Cook is nationally recognized for her advocacy of broadening career opportunities for women. At the national level, she served in many positions on the National Association of Women Deans, Administrators and Counselors (now the National Association for Women in Education). She also has held national office for Mortar Board Inc.

Cook also has been active in state professional organizations, including the Indiana Association for Women Deans, Administrators and Counselors and the Indiana Personnel and Guidance Association. She was awarded the Helen B. Schleman Gold Medallion for Distinguished Contributions to Purdue University, along with the Dean Beverley Stone Award for Personal Counseling Contributions.

Since her retirement, she has been an active community volunteer with the Salvation Army, Greater Lafayette YWCA, West Lafayette Redevelopment Commission and Indiana Governor's Commission for Women. In 2002, Cook was the recipient of the Distinguished Lifetime Mortar Board Member award, the highest honor given to alumni members. Mortar Board Inc. and the Mortar Board National Foundation give this award to alumni who have demonstrated Mortar Board's continuing commitment to the ideals of scholarship, leadership and service.

Cook continues to attend many Mortar Board events and supports Purdue students.

Mortar Board members are selected for their achievements in scholarship, service to the university community and leadership. It is the first national organization to honor senior college women, and the society admitted men after 1975.

During the past 60 years, Mortar Board has given $821,000 in fellowships and awards to Purdue students, staff and student organizations.

Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu

Sources: Jennifer Mauntel, jmauntel@purdue.edu

Pablo Malavenda, Mortar Board adviser, (765) 494-1232, Pablo@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

To the News Service home page