Writer: Matt Vader | Editors: Tammy Loew, Renee Kashawlic, Danielle Fawbush
Editorial Board: John Eckman, Barb Frazee, Tammy Loew, Renee Kashawlic | Inquiries Contact: studentlifemarketing@purdue.edu
Sally and Tim Luzader pose before a Woodstock-themed murder mystery held in Windsor Hall.
One of the first calls Tim Luzader received upon being hired as a Purdue employee was from a Windsor Hall resident assistant. The resident assistant, who was part of the search committee responsible for hiring Luzader, wanted to know if he was interested in becoming a Faculty Fellow.
“My first commitment outside of my specific job at Purdue was to become a Faculty Fellow at Windsor,” says Luzader. “We’ve been there ever since.”
Tim and his wife, Sally, have been fixtures in Windsor Residence Halls as part of the Faculty Fellows program since January 2001. Faculty Fellows promote mentorship and a personalized experience for students through informal interactions with faculty and staff outside the classroom and office. Faculty Fellows come from various disciplines and include University vice-presidents, deans, department heads, administrators, faculty and staff.
The importance of relationships is vital to not only students, but to the professional staff members who participate in the program.
“From my standpoint, as an administrator, my direct contact with students has some limitations,” says Tim, the executive director of the Center for Career Opportunities & Pre-Professional Advising. “It is important for me to keep my thumb on the pulse of what makes students tick.”
Opportunities to develop relationships abound, ranging from weekly dinners to special events. The events the Luzaders have participated in include pottery painting, a group outing to see a volleyball match, movies, progressive dinners, game nights and pet nights. A favorite activity is a traditional, yearly performance of a murder mystery written by Barbara Dixon, a peer Fellow. It’s the weekly dinners, though, where most of the relationship-building takes place.
“We sit down with them, we have conversations and we dine together,” Tim says. “Now that we’ve done it for so many years, we stay in touch with quite a few of the students.”
Sally and Tim say they have attended at least a half dozen weddings of former students. They continually keep in touch with former students, whether it’s through Facebook, sending Christmas cards or meeting up. The couple recently drove to Champaign, Illinois to visit with a former student, her husband and two-year old twins.
“There have been this handful that we just established a long-term relationship with and we keep in touch,” Sally says. “I think the funniest thing, because we’ve been doing this for so long, is when you’re at a wedding and you realize that you’re now older than the parents of those students. That always comes home to roost.”
The stories and memories have accrued over the years for the Luzaders. Some have come out of pure coincidence, such as discovering that a student they knew hailed from the same area in West Virginia as Tim’s family. When the student needed a ride home for a holiday break, the Luzaders stepped in and drove the student home.
The interactions have also, of course, provided opportunities for laughs. One such instance came when several Windsor RAs insisted on helping Tim with designing a Halloween costume for him to wear to a party. The costume they came up with was half man, half woman and included full makeup, a pinned half-skirt, a frilly blouse, a blonde wig, pantyhose and painted nails.
“The funniest part was that there were four RAs and, every time they’d get a certain stage done, they would take a picture and then would roll around laughing,” Tim says. “They had a blast doing it and so did I.”
The connections created as a Faculty Fellow have been a big part of the Luzaders’ experience at Purdue.
“I’ve personally found it very valuable,” Tim says. “Probably of most importance to me is it’s a way, from my standpoint to give back. I really think the students value having that older adult who is not specifically a professor or someone connected to their living circumstance. As we develop a rapport with the students, we know they’re comfortable discussing things with us.”
Adds Sally, “It’s been a good thing. I think, for us, since we now definitely are their parents’ age or older, it’s kind of a substitute for being a parent.”
Writer: Matt Vader
Purdue University set another record-breaking year during the fifth annual Purdue Day of Giving, held April 25. The University raised a whopping $37,619,706 from more than 18,000 gifts. Donors representing 58 countries and all 50 states contributed during the 24-hour period.
University Residences partnered with Dining & Catering to host a pair of special events on the Day of Giving. A drop-in breakfast was enjoyed by retirees in Hillenbrand Hall. Those in attendance received a thank-you gift for donating at the breakfast.
Students, employees and donors later enjoyed the afternoon sun at a block party on Third Street. Attendees answered trivia questions posed by staff and received prizes for correct answers. Various food stations were set up along the street, allowing students and passers-by to enjoy a bite to eat while engaging with Day of Giving initiatives. Guests also helped plant small herb gardens that were distributed to local families facing food insecurity.
Day of Giving provides an important funding resource for University Residences initiatives that directly impact the more than 13,000 students who reside on campus. Donations have allowed room and board rates to remain flat for the sixth consecutive year. Additionally, donations to University Residences help finance RAISE Fund scholarships, which defray the cost of providing tuition for resident assistants.
We thank you for your continued support of University Residences and hope you will join us for future Day of Giving events!
Writer: Matt Vader
Purdue University’s 150th anniversary theme will be “Giant Leaps,” inspired by Neil Armstrong’s historic statement on the moon. University Residences will be featured during a month-long celebration as part of the sesquicentennial festivities.
The 150th anniversary celebration kicks off at Homecoming 2018, scheduled for September 22. University Residences will host the “Giant Leaps Kickoff” tailgate in conjunction with the football matchup between the Boilermakers and Boston College. The tailgate will feature food and a special keynote speaker.
University Residences’ contributions to the Purdue community will be showcased during the month of October and will include two special events. The 25th anniversary of Hillenbrand Hall will be celebrated on October 20 with a reunion of alumni and staff. The event will also commemorate Terry Courts and Fowler Courts. The construction of Hillenbrand ushered in a new era for modern residence halls in the 1990s and will play a key role in a new learning communities initiative beginning this fall. If you’ve lived, worked or played in Hillenbrand, we hope you’ll join us as we reflect on what has been and take a look at what is to come.
We’ll also take a peek into our immediate future at a brunch open to students, alumni, staff and retirees Sunday, Oct. 28. This gathering will provide you with the opportunity to hear about University Residences’ vision as we look to leap forward and lead the way in on-campus housing, all while connecting with the people committed to executing these plans.
We hope you’ll make plans to join us for these celebrations this fall as we think back on the “Giant Leaps” we’ve taken and consider the “Giant Leaps” yet to come. Stay tuned for more details on these upcoming opportunities.
Writer: Matt Vader
Writer: Matt Vader | Editors: Tammy Loew, Renee Kashawlic, Danielle Fawbush
Editorial Board: John Eckman, Barb Frazee, Tammy Loew, Renee Kashawlic | Inquiries Contact: studentlifemarketing@purdue.edu