September 22, 2009

Purdue Alumni recognizes Special Boilermaker Award recipients

The Purdue Alumni Association has named Marshall Martin and Ron Fruitt recipients of the 2009 Special Boilermaker Award.

They were recognized at the Sept. 19 football game against Northern Illinois.

Ted Priebe, Marshall Martin and Kirk Cerny 
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Martin (MS A’72, PhD A’76) is the associate director of agricultural research programs and a professor of agricultural economics at Purdue. For more than 30 years, Martin has made extraordinary contributions to student life at Purdue as a teacher, researcher, administrator, and as a very active and longtime supporter of undergraduate music programs.

He has advised hundreds of undergraduates and more than 40 graduate students, earning the department’s outstanding teacher award seven times and the outstanding thesis or dissertation advisor award five times.

Nancy Fruitt-Halsema, Phyllis Fruitt and Kirk Cerny
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Ron Fruitt (A’59, MS LA’67) is being honored posthumously for his 34-year career at Purdue, which included positions that ranged from hall manager to vice president of housing and food services. When he retired in 1996,  he received the title of vice president emeritus. He served as a special assistant to the director of the Purdue Alumni Association for five years after his retirement.

Fruitt dedicated his life to helping others and always found time to help those in need.

Established in 1981, the Special Boilermaker Award honors those who have contributed significantly to improving the quality of life or bettering the educational experience for Purdue students.

TOP PHOTO: Marshall Martin (center), agricultural research programs and a professor of agricultural economics, receives the Special Boilermaker Award from Ted Priebe, president of the Purdue Alumni board of directors (left), and Kirk Cerny, executive director of Purdue Alumni Association.

BOTTOM PHOTO: Nancy Fruitt-Halsema and Phyllis Fruitt receive the Special Boilermaker Award for Ron Fruitt, who was being honored posthumously for his 34-year career at Purdue.  Kirk Cerny, executive director of Purdue Alumni Association, presented the award.