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Cocktails and Conversation

Join us as we raise a glass to Purdue women everywhere!

Cocktails and Conversation is a free online event created by the Purdue Women’s Network to highlight outstanding Purdue women and stimulate engagement in an informal setting. Events take place once a month during the academic year and last an hour.

Each session covers a new topic and features one or more Purdue faculty member, staff member, or student sharing their professional expertise and personal experiences. Attendees have the opportunity to gain insight on new or impactful subjects, ask questions, and make new connections with other Boilermaker women.

The best part? Every time we get together, the event opens on a light note and closes with a toast!

Upcoming Events

To explore and register for upcoming events in this series, go to the Purdue for Life Foundation events page and search “Cocktails and Conversation.” Information can also be conveniently located on the Purdue Women’s Network Facebook page.

Cocktail rule!

Archives

Check out some of our past speakers and drink recipes. Cocktails can be modified for nondrinkers by simply skipping the alcohol. If you’re interested in viewing past events from this series in their entirety, you can visit our dedicated YouTube archive.

Renee A. Thomas


January 2024

Renee A. Thomas, the associate vice provost for diversity, inclusion, and belonging at Purdue, discussed maximizing student potential, celebrating Martin Luther King Jr., and creating a sense of community and belonging for everyone.

View the recording
Sylvie Brouder, Viviana Tsangaropoulos, and Araceli Martinez


February 2024


Three Purdue women discussed food security at the macro and micro levels.

View the recording
Purdue Women’s Network Chapter Leaders


March 2024


Our chapter leaders gathered to celebrate International Women’s Day together.

View the recording
Yan Cong, Lindsay Hamm, Kaylyn Jackson Schiff, and Maggie Reisdorf


April 2024


Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been changing our world. Four Purdue experts discussed ChatGPT’s impact in work and academic settings. ChatGPT is an AI chatbot that can have human-like conversations.

View the recording
Purdue Women’s Network Scholarship Donors and Recipients


May 2024


We hosted a panel featuring Purdue Women’s Network Scholarship donors and recipients. The donors shared why they chose to support Purdue women, and the recipients spoke about the impact the scholarship is having on their lives. Purdue University scholarships are open to all individuals and are administered in compliance with the university’s nondiscrimination policy.

View the recording
Past drink recipes
Cocktails & Conversation Easy Bellini
January
Cocktails & Conversation The Trifecta
February
Cocktails & Conversation Toast to Sisterhood
March
Cocktails & Conversation CherriesGPT
April
May Cocktails Conversations recipe!
May
Cocktail rule!

Contact us

Purdue Women’s Network
purduewomen@purdueforlife.org

Maria L. Whipple
Senior Director of Affinity Networks
Purdue for Life Foundation
mlwhipple@purdueforlife.org

Purdue for Life Foundation
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Purdue Alumni Association

President’s Council

John Purdue Club

Patsy J. Mellott

BS College of Health and Human Sciences, 1969
Fishers, IN

Patsy earned a bachelor’s degree in food and nutrition in business from Purdue in 1969, in addition to an MBA in food marketing from Michigan State University in 1970. She retired from Kraft Foods in 2006 after 36 years in corporate food marketing and marketing communications management.

A community volunteer, Patsy serves on the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana Advisory Board and the Purdue College of Health and Human Sciences Dean’s Leadership Council, in addition to the President’s Council Advisory Board. She is a former member of the Health and Human Sciences Alumni Board. Patsy held several offices from 2006 through 2013, including president and treasurer. She serves her community’s Discover Indianapolis Club in Fishers, holding several leadership roles for over 10 years.

Patsy has received several honors, including the Purdue University Nutrition Science Department Hall of Fame recipient in 2009 and the Purdue University College of Health and Human Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award in 2016. She also received the college’s Gold and Black Award in 2016, an honor reserved for donors who have moved the college forward by committing exceptional financial resources.

In addition to endowing two scholarships, the Patsy J. Mellott Scholarship and Patsy J. Mellott HHS Scholarship, she established the Patsy J. Mellott Teaching Innovation Award in the College of Health and Human Sciences in 2013. In 2015, she endowed the Patsy J. Mellott Women’s Tennis Coach Performance Award. She is a lead donor in the Christine M. Ladisch Faculty Leadership Award and the Purdue Women’s Network Virginia C. Meredith Scholarship for the College of Health and Human Sciences.