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Sessions

THURSDAY, APRIL 13

9:15–10:15 am

OPENING KEYNOTE // LEADING IN A LIFE OF SERVICE | East and West Faculty Lounges

LESLEY WIETE // Chief of Police, Purdue University Police Department

Moderated by Maria Whipple of the Purdue for Life Foundation

  • Wiete will share about her life of service, including her background as a 23-year veteran of the Purdue University Police Department. She will also highlight the department’s outreach programs, initiatives, and its tireless efforts to keep the university’s students and campus community safe.

10:30–11:15 am

PURDUE FOR LIFE FOUNDATION UPDATE WITH MATT FOLK | East and West Faculty Lounges

President and CEO of the Purdue for Life Foundation and Vice President for University Advancement and Alumni Engagement for Purdue University

  • Folk will provide an update on Purdue for Life and the growing projects that enable Purdue alumni, friends, and fans to stay connected, get involved, and give back—all of which advance our great university. Learn about new campus initiatives, including Purdue’s next big move, the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business.

11:15–11:40 am

THE IMPORTANCE AND POWER OF CONNECTION | East and West Faculty Lounges

CHARLIE CATALANO // Assistant Professor of Practice in Public Relations at Purdue University

  • This brief session, strategically scheduled just before lunch, will offer practical and inspiring tips for connecting with other people, benefiting you personally and professionally. Then, you’ll have an opportunity during lunch to apply what you learned!

1–1:45 pm

CLIFTONSTRENGTHS: HARNESSING THE POWER OF YOUR TALENTS | North Ballroom

BROOKE LINN // Executive Director of Learning and Talent Development at the Purdue for Life Foundation

  • Innate ability is a superpower that provides potential for success in various areas of life. In this session, you will have the opportunity to learn about your unique strengths, how they manifest in your daily life, and how to harness the power of these natural gifts to be at your best.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS // 2–2:45 p.m.

| Directors Room

PURDUE TIES: EXPAND YOUR NETWORK AND PARTICIPATE IN MENTORING

COURTNEY CASSADY AND JIMMY COX // Purdue for Life Foundation

Learn how you can cultivate a culture of service and giving back through Purdue Ties, the premier networking and mentoring platform of Purdue University. Available for free to anyone who loves Purdue, the platform is also perfect for job searches and more.
Learn how you can cultivate a culture of service and giving back through Purdue Ties, the premier networking and mentoring platform of Purdue University. Available for free to anyone who loves Purdue, the platform is also perfect for job searches and more.

| Anniversary Drawing Room

DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, BELONGING, AND YOU

JACQUELINE GATSON // Assistant Vice President of Advancement, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at the Purdue for Life Foundation

Learn how you can support diversity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives in engagement, development, and the Office of Industry Partnerships.
Learn how you can support diversity, inclusion, and belonging initiatives in engagement, development, and the Office of Industry Partnerships.

| East and West Faculty Lounges

SETTING EFFECTIVE GOALS FOR YOUR BOARD AND ACHIEVING THEM

ALUMNI LEADERS KIRTI CHINTALAPUDI AND MICHAEL JOHNSTON

Explore ways to set your board up for success by identifying and aligning goals with your mission and then developing strategies that allow your board to move toward achieving those goals.
Explore ways to set your board up for success by identifying and aligning goals with your mission and then developing strategies that allow your board to move toward achieving those goals.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS // 3–3:45 p.m.

| Directors Room

CONNECT WITH VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE MEANINGFUL TO YOU

COURTNEY CASSADY AND JACKIE KNOTTS // Purdue for Life Foundation and Purdue University

Put your love for Purdue into action! Discover Purdue’s new volunteer portal, which empowers you to easily find service opportunities across campus that are of interest to you, track your roles and volunteer hours, and indicate your volunteer preferences for potential future matches.
Put your love for Purdue into action! Discover Purdue’s new volunteer portal, which empowers you to easily find service opportunities across campus that are of interest to you, track your roles and volunteer hours, and indicate your volunteer preferences for potential future matches.

| East and West Faculty Lounges

AVERAGE TO ALL-STAR

LEADERSHIP COACH SHARLEE LYONS

Extraordinary mentors create extraordinary leaders by helping them start strong and go further faster in their lives and careers. Learn how to engage with a simple three-step process—discover, develop, deploy—and come away with a plan to impact future leaders.
Extraordinary mentors create extraordinary leaders by helping them start strong and go further faster in their lives and careers. Learn how to engage with a simple three-step process—discover, develop, deploy—and come away with a plan to impact future leaders.

| Anniversary Drawing Room

PLANNING YOUR YEAR AHEAD

ALUMNI LEADERS JOEL HARTMAN AND ALMIRA “SUGAR” YLLANA
Moderated by Jimmy Cox of the Purdue for Life Foundation

Hartman and Yllana, two of Purdue for Life’s most successful alumni club leaders, will discuss how they work with their boards to plan events and programs for the entire year—thereby setting themselves up for success.
Hartman and Yllana, two of Purdue for Life’s most successful alumni club leaders, will discuss how they work with their boards to plan events and programs for the entire year—thereby setting themselves up for success.

4:10–4:55 Pm

CAMPUS TOUR // ENGINEERING AND POLYTECHNIC GATEWAY COMPLEX

THOMAS FROONINCKX // Managing Director of Purdue Polytechnic Institute

  • Visit Dudley and Lambertus Halls, connected buildings that opened in early 2023 and form the heart of this new landmark. Frooninckx will provide an overview of the 255,000-square-foot complex, and student ambassadors will lead a tour of this incredible space.

5–6 pm

UNITY ON CAMPUS | North Ballroom

ALUMNI LEADERS JO BOILEAU, JUNA MATSUDA-JOHNSON, CASSANDRA SALAZAR, AND ANGELA THRELKELD DODD

  • Enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the Purdue Memorial Union’s North Ballroom as a select panel of alumni leaders discuss the importance of cultivating a sense of unity within the Purdue community.

FRIDAY, APRIL 14

9–9:45 am

RECRUITING NEW LEADERSHIP | East and West Faculty Lounges

ALUMNI LEADERS SARA NASH, DENTON SEDERQUIST, AND ALMIRA “SUGAR” YLLANA

Moderated by Jimmy Cox of the Purdue for Life Foundation

  • Hear from leaders of some of Purdue for Life’s most successful alumni clubs as they discuss how they got their start as volunteer leaders, how they recruited or will recruit new leadership, and the potential challenges they may face moving forward.
BREAKOUT SESSIONS // 10–11:30 am

| West Faculty Lounge

DEEP DIVE: AFFINITY NETWORKS

Current volunteers meet with their staff liaisons, review their program structure, and discuss new ideas.
Current volunteers meet with their staff liaisons, review their program structure, and discuss new ideas.

| East Faculty Lounge

DEEP DIVE: ALUMNI CLUBS

Current volunteers meet with their staff liaisons, review their program structure, and discuss new ideas.
Current volunteers meet with their staff liaisons, review their program structure, and discuss new ideas.

| Room 256

DEEP DIVE: INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS

Current volunteers meet with their staff liaisons, review their program structure, and discuss new ideas.
Current volunteers meet with their staff liaisons, review their program structure, and discuss new ideas.

11:45 am–1 pm

CLOSING PRESENTATION // EVENTS BEST PRACTICES | Boilermaker Station Welcome Center

JIMMY COX // Senior Director of Alumni Clubs and Student Engagement at the Purdue for Life Foundation 

  • Over lunch at Boilermaker Station, which is operated by Purdue for Life and serves as the university’s primary welcome center, Cox will discuss best practices for running events like cocktail receptions, networking mixers, sit-down dinners, and more. Local event planners will also learn how to reserve Boilermaker Station for their own events. At the end of the session, participants are welcome to use the professional photo booth for a personal headshot.