The Purdue for Life Foundation’s Alumni Club Recognition Program recognizes clubs that go above and beyond to support the vision and mission of Purdue University. These high-achieving clubs can earn Gold, Silver, or Bronze status, as described below.
Clubs that achieve one of these tiers receive financial incentives each year to support their general operations and club scholarship. Funds will be provided twice each year in the form of checks sent to the club treasurer, with half of the funds covered in each installment. Checks will be sent in August and January of each fiscal year.
Funds provided to clubs are based on the following:
NOTE: Qualifying clubs also receive a decorative felt Block P, a commemorative letter, and recognition during an annual celebration.
Below is an overview of the recognition program and how each tier level can be achieved.
Tier Levels | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
Number of events | 8 | 5 | 3 |
3 | |||
Incentives | |||
Engagement funds | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Scholarship funds | Yes | Yes | No |
Workds | |||
Alumni Engagement & Outreach Initiatives
Complete six for gold, three for silver, or two for bronze. | 6 | 3 | 2 |
Send a monthly Newsletter (minimum of 4/year) | |||
Host a family-focused event in your community (not a student send-off) | |||
Host an event targeting recent graduates and/or incoming/current students (not a student send-off) | |||
Coordinate a community service project with a local organization | |||
Host a professional networking event | |||
Host a social event that brings together alumni, friends, and fans | |||
Partner with another Alumni Club and/or affinity group to host an event | |||
Participate in educational outreach programs with local schools or community organizations, such as tutoring or service-learning programs | |||
Host student send-off | |||
Attend ALVC (2 or more club members) | |||
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Sporting Event Watch Party | 1 | 1 | 1 |
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Scholarship | 1 | 1 | |
Host an event with the primary purpose to raise scholarship funds. |
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.