.2026 Impact Award Winners
The Office of the Vice Provost for Student Life has recognized outstanding alumni and friends as recipients of the 2026 Student Life Impact Awards. Honorees were presented with their awards at the Student Life Honors Awards Banquet.
Student Life Young Alumni Award - Chelsea C. Hayes
Chelsea C. Hayes (BA public health promotion and public relations ’11) serves as the CEO and principal consultant of The Coaching Factory, a Los Angeles-based firm specializing in interactive training experiences on leadership, management and inclusion. Her clients include global powerhouse brands such as Nike, PepsiCo Inc., General Mills, Morgan Stanley, Eli Lilly and Company, and NBC. She has served as the foremost advisor to six CEOs. Before founding The Coaching Factory, she held human resources leadership roles with The Africa Channel, GE and the Los Angeles Sparks. An acclaimed executive coach and speaker, she has delivered more than 150 keynotes on leadership and equity.
Hayes began college at age 16. While at Purdue, she was elected the national second vice president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., making her the third-highest-ranked officer in the organization, which boasts over 350,000 members. She was also a member of the Mortar Board National College Honor Society. She received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award from the Purdue Alumni Association (now Purdue for Life Foundation). Hayes served as vice president of the College of Liberal Arts Alumni Board and continues to impact Purdue by mentoring students through opportunities like University Residences’ Executive in Residence program. She is a member of Northwestern University’s Council of One Hundred, an invitation-only group of Northwestern’s female alumnae executives. She holds a master’s degree in communications from the university.
Student Life Award for Outstanding Leadership - Rodney and Rodrick Glass
Rodney and Rodrick Glass have demonstrated exceptional dedication to leadership and supporting the student experience since their time as students.
Rodney (BS organizational leadership and supervision ’92, pictured left) served as a residence hall counselor and staff resident in Cary Quadrangle, while Rodrick (pictured right, below)
held the same roles in Harrison Hall and Cary. Rodney later became student body president and was an active member of his fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi. Rodrick (BS organizational leadership and supervision ’92, MS industrial supervision ’94) served as president of the Society of Minority Managers and was vice president of Purdue Student Government.
The brothers are the first siblings to serve University Residences’ Executive in Residence program. They continue to support Purdue through philanthropy, speaking engagements, mentorship of students and service on the Student Life Advisory Council. They have endowed scholarships for Purdue Polytechnic Institute and the Mitch Daniels School of Business.
Rodney currently serves as director of people, experience and technology at Amazon. Rodrick is executive vice president of sales and business development at Creative Realities Inc.
Student Life Service Award - Bev and Ray Mentzer
Together, Bev and Ray Mentzer provide strategic, nurturing mentorship to Purdue students.
Bev serves as an industrial career counselor and mentor for the Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, where she shares insights from her 33-year career at ExxonMobil. She has also volunteered at Purdue’s Center for Career Opportunities. Bev begins mentoring students during orientation and delivers a wide range of leadership and professional development presentations. She mentors with deep compassion and an ability to translate complex industry expectations into actionable advice, and students regularly credit her for helping them secure roles that match their potential.
Ray (PhD chemical engineering ’80) is a professor of engineering practice and serves as executive director of the Purdue Process Safety and Assurance Center. He teaches process safety while overseeing research and partnerships that prepare students to lead in high-impact industries. His mentorship is grounded in technical depth and ethical leadership, with a focus on safety; decision-making; and the roles students can play in protecting people, environments and systems. His work with interdisciplinary teams and student researchers further amplifies his influence.
Bob L. and Joyce Beery Miles Student Life Mentor Award - Heather Dykes
Heather Dykes, associate director of student services for the College of Health and Human Sciences, has shown a commitment to student leadership development through her mentorship of Boilermakers.
Dykes is the advisor for the Purdue Health and Human Sciences Success Mentors program, which she helped found 12 years ago. The program pairs first-year students with older student mentors and provides mentees with academic, psychological and emotional support; goal-setting assistance; and career advice. Today, the program impacts more than 500 students. She also serves as the advisor for the Health and Human Sciences Student Council.
Since 2012, Dykes has served as the faculty advisor to the Lambda Chapter of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. With her guidance, the fraternity has been restored at Purdue with a focus on personal growth, academic success and community service. The chapter boasts approximately 100 members and raises thousands of dollars annually for the SeriousFun Children’s Network.
Student Life Exceptional Staff Award - Margie Jones
Throughout her 21-year career, Margie Jones has made a strong impact on students through her mentorship and support. She is there for students from early mornings to late nights with a listening ear or a hug, and often with her cart in tow, loaded with supplies for the next meeting or event.
Jones currently serves as the senior associate director of student involvement for Student Activities and Organizations, where she advises Old Masters, Rising Professionals and the Barbara Cook Chapter of Mortar Board. She provides valuable assistance to students as they master skills in leadership, personal growth and budget management.
Jones is lauded for her leadership in sustaining the Old Masters program, which recently celebrated its 75th anniversary. Nominators describe Jones as the “glue” that holds the program together. Her work supports every aspect of this legacy Purdue program and contributes to its ongoing success.
Jones is also a recipient of the Special Boilermaker Award and was recognized by the Management and Professional Staff Advisory Committee with the 2025 MaPSAC Excellence Award.