Kevin and Laura Kapala could be found at Ross-Ade Stadium for almost every Purdue football game in 2024.
May 20, 2025
Kevin and Laura Kapala could be found at Ross-Ade Stadium for almost every Purdue football game in 2024.
Sean (T’94) and Tiffany Mitchell deeply understand what it means to be a Boilermaker. With over 20 alumni in their extended family, a Purdue-themed Christmas tree in their home, a Motion P tattooed on Sean’s left shoulder, and now a scholarship, the Mitchells bleed old gold and black.
Scott Ksander’s Boilermaker story has come full circle, thanks to a facilities gift from him and his wife, Peggy.
Growing up in Illinois, Mary (Nelligan) Humenik (LA’85) and her siblings enjoyed weekly trips to their local library.
The oldest of seven children—four of them Purdue graduates—Humenik developed a deep love of reading that began with Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, and other novels featuring strong female characters.
Opened in 1877 and partly funded by John Purdue’s founding donation, University Hall is the oldest building on Purdue’s campus. Its ongoing renovation, set for completion in July 2025, will restore the historic structure while transforming it into a modern, student-focused space for the College of Liberal Arts.
A professor’s impact can go a long way, even lasting decades.
Robert Altenkirch (ME’70, PhD ME’75), Cliff Owens (ME’70, MS ME’72), and Steve Plee (ME’73, MS ME’75, PhD ME’78) recently teamed up to name a classroom in the Mechanical Engineering Building after Arthur “Mac” Mellor, a former professor and friend who died in 2022.
Although Jennifer Liu (M’98) was initially skeptical of her former company’s motto “Change Energizes Us,” she now fully appreciates its value.
For Robert (PharmD ’87) and Holly Hulse (AAE ’87), Purdue University was more than just a place of learning—it was where they built the foundation for their future careers and began their lives together. Now, they are giving back to the university that played such a pivotal role in their journey by establishing an endowment to support scholarships for women in engineering.
President Chiang and First Lady Kei Hui reflect on some of the small steps and giant leaps achieved in 2024 and share what they look forward to in the coming year.
Tim and Sally Luzader first crossed paths at a Midwest College Placement Association conference and, united by their mutual passion for helping students succeed in higher education, have spent decades dedicated to student success. Now, through their generous bequests to Purdue, they’re ensuring their impact continues well into the future.