Tim Coleman (M’90) has been with Eli Lilly for three decades, having started after graduation as a systems analyst. During his career, he has held numerous positions, spanning human resources, IT, manufacturing, marketing, and research & development. Today, Coleman serves as vice president and information officer for Medicines Development Information & Digital Solutions at Lilly, […]
LaMarcus J. Hall (MS EDU’19) chose to pursue an advanced degree at Purdue because he knew the program would be academically rigorous and that the Purdue name conveyed excellence around the world. However, his path at Purdue wasn’t easy. “My experience was like no other,” Hall says. “I had to jump many hurdles to maintain my […]
Dolores Cooper Shockley (MS P’53, PhD P’55) was the first Black woman to earn a PhD from Purdue and the first Black woman in the United States to earn a PhD in pharmacology. Shockley was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, on April 21, 1930. She enrolled at Louisiana State University in 1947, intending to pursue a […]
When Paula Fontana (M’93) arrived at Purdue after graduating from a small private high school, she expected to encounter a cut-throat environment. But she was surprised to discover a supportive community. A graduate of the Dr. Cornell Business Opportunity Program — “I’m a proud BOPer,” she says — Fontana was grateful for the opportunity to immerse herself […]
For nearly half a century, Roger Blalock (HHS’69) was a prominent figure on Purdue’s campus. He was a two-year basketball letterwinner, averaging 12.3 points per game during the 1966–67 season. While his college career was cut short when he suffered a broken ankle against Butler in December 1967, he would remain a giant figure in […]
Rochelle R. Asberry (LA’85) spent many years in marketing, sales, and branding in a corporate setting, where she grew small accounts into multimillion-dollar territories. With the skills she acquired, Asberry aspired to get to the next level. For Asberry, that meant setting her sights on building her own company. And with hard work and dedication, […]
Ron Hickland Jr. created his own lane, merging a passion for engineering with a love for bowling At age 15, while traveling with his father, a competitive bowler, Ron Hickland (ME’01) met a bowling ball designer who explained to him that mechanical engineers design the core of the ball and chemical engineers design the cover […]
The year was 1968. And Leroy Keyes remembers it well. For many reasons. Tumult enveloped the nation. There was the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. that set off riots in Chicago, Washington, DC, and other cities. Civil rights demonstrations also sparked fury across America, highlighted by a deadly protest in Orangeburg, South Carolina. At […]
When Robert J. Taylor (ME’60) was appointed to the University’s Board of Trustees by Indiana Governor Evan Bayh in 1990, it was historically significant because Taylor was the first African American to be named to Purdue’s highest body. At the time, he was production and technical service director for Eli Lilly and Co. Taylor served […]
Cornell A. Bell (PhD EDU’72, HDR M’07) distinguished himself in education with his personal involvement and dedication in helping provide opportunities to hundreds of students through the Krannert School of Management Business Opportunity Program. He was the director of the program for 37 years until his retirement in 2006 and was known as a father […]
