Three IE faculty and staff members were given special awards, and the School acknowledged 62 scholarships for undergraduate students and ten fellowships for graduate students. James J. Solberg Head and Professor of Industrial Engineering Abhi Deshmukh welcomed guests and introduced the speakers, and Managing Director Steve Duket emceed the awards ceremony.

Alumnus Dennis Clark (BSIE 1972) spoke about his 34-year career with Eli Lilly and why he supports Purdue IE. Senior Mallory Huff described many of the opportunities she's had to grow as a person while gaining an IE degree, and urged her fellow students to consider how they might give back to the School in the future.

Associate Head of IE and Associate Professor Steve Landry received the James H. Greene Outstanding Graduate Educator Award. This award is named in honor of Dr. James H. Greene, Purdue IE faculty from 1948-1983. Greene was the driving force behind obtaining blanket approval of the IE PhD program in 1959 and was known for excellence in graduate education and student advising. This award was endowed in his honor by Dr. J. Franklin Sharp, one of his former students.

Assistant Professor Mario Ventresca received the Pritsker Best Teacher Award, given annually to an outstanding teacher in Purdue IE and selected by its student body for excellence in teaching. This award was established with a gift from A. Alan and Anne G. Pritsker. A. Alan Pritsker was a professor in IE at Purdue from 1970 to 1998, was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1985, and received the Frank and Lillian Gilbreth Industrial Engineering Award in 1991. He was an exceptional instructor, and his approach embodied his "Teach what you do – do what you teach" philosophy. Recipients of this award are selected by the IE undergraduate student body under rules and procedures established by the IE faculty.

Academic Advisor Elizabeth Allum received the Outstanding Staff Award, voted on by Purdue IE faculty, staff and student organization presidents. It recognizes those who continuously go above and beyond the expectations of his/her position, exhibit a consistent pattern of congenial behavior to all contacts and treat others with respect, and have a positive attitude even under the most difficult of circumstances. Elizabeth’s nominator wrote: "Elizabeth is a great advisor, bringing positive energy to everyone she encounters. She has become consistent in reaching out to students and finding success in bringing out their full potential. The success of certain programs of the school is partly due to her abilities in presenting them to our students."

Other faculty awards were mentioned along with student organization awards, and a new video called "Grissom Hall Reinvented" was shown before and after the ceremony.

Writer: DeEtte Starr, starrd@purdue.edu