Alumni GiFT LOOKS TO FUTURE

One of Purdue University’s first manufacturing engineering technology graduates, Roger Wilcox BS ’69, formed the Indiana Chair Frame Company in 1984. When others in the modular office system industry were trying to automate their production, Wilcox was looking for ways to increase the manual labor involved. His company then marketed the products to correctional institutions as a way to provide manufacturing job skills to inmates.

His innovative idea made his company a success. So when it came to retirement planning, he and his wife, Nancy (BA ’70, secondary education), decided to repay their alma mater. Their gift, designated in their wills, is divided between the College of Technology and the College of Education.

“Purdue helped us,” Roger said. “We had the wherewithal to do it, so we wanted to give something back.”

Like the Wilcox’s, anyone can make a deferred gift to the College of Technology. Many of the options provide financial benefits to the donor. The most common deferred gifts include:

• Bequest or estate commitment: Name Purdue University’s College of Technology as a beneficiary in your will, living trust, life insurance policy, or qualified retirement plan. Most assets donated in this way are not subject to federal estate tax.
• Life income arrangement: Gifts of this type include charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder annuity trusts, and charitable remainder unitrusts. These arrangements can provide lifetime income to you or a designee of your choice and an immediate charitable tax deduction.
• Charitable lead trust: Establish a trust that makes regular payments to the College of Technology for a specified period of time. At the end of the trust term, either you or a designated heir receives the remaining assets. Giving in this way may provide the benefit of reduced estate and/or gift taxes.

Talk to your tax or financial advisor to determine the best way to plan your gift to the College of Technology. For additional information, contact CoT’s Advancement Office at (765) 494-7967, toll-free at (888) 428-1489, or via e-mail to techdev@purdue.edu.

Program honored, renamed

For the third time in four years, Purdue has been honored for the way it prepares engineering/technology educators.

The engineering/technology teacher education program, administered by the Department of Industrial Technology, was named the 2007 Outstanding Program by the Association for Career and Technical Education’s Engineering and Technology Education Division. The program also received the honor in 2006 and 2004.

Purdue’s program was evaluated on criteria that included rigor of the curriculum and opportunities for hands-on application of educational concepts.

Formerly titled technology education, the program opened the 2007-08 academic year with its more inclusive name. The college’s senate and curriculum committee approved the change last year to better reflect the focus of the program.

Professor George Rogers, coordinator of the program, says one factor in the name change was that the technology education program became a certified engineering and technology teacher education program in November 2006 by Project Lead the Way.

Another factor in the change was to better distinguish the College of Technology’s program from the educational technology program in the College of Education, which focuses primarily on computer-related training.

Purdue celebrates success of Niswonger fundraising

Purdue University on October 24 celebrated the success of fundraising for the expansion and renovation of the Niswonger Aviation Technology Building, named for College of Technology alumnus Scott Niswonger (AT ’68).

The $6.6 million project will add 18,200 square feet to the current facility and will provide a larger, modern learning facility for future pilots, airline managers, aeronautical technologists, and others pursuing careers in the aviation industry.

Niswonger, who lives in Greeneville, Tennessee, is principal owner of Landair Corp. and chairman emeritus of Forward Air, which he founded in 1981. In 2004 he made a $3 million gift for construction of the new building and partial renovation of the former Aviation Technology Building. He also issued a challenge to raise the rest of the project’s $6 million. To date, Niswonger has contributed $4.6 million toward the building.

Work on the building is expected to be completed in the fall of 2009 and will fill the space created by the current

L-shaped main building to form a square structure. The addition will connect the two existing segments of the building and provide a new entryway.

The completed Niswonger building will feature a glass atrium and two, 85-seat lecture halls, incorporating tiered seats and the latest in audiovisual equipment. The building also will include two smaller classrooms, a new computer laboratory, and a collaborative suite, which will give students and faculty dedicated space to meet on projects and with industry and government officials when they visit campus. The new building also will house administrative offices and student services personnel.

To view a building rendering, virtual tour, and video of the celebration, visit purdue.edu/tech/at.

PTAA plans new initiatives

The College of Technology Advancement Office has set an important goal for 2008: introduce a new era of alumni leadership. The first step in achieving that goal is the regrouping of the Purdue Technology Alumni Association (PTAA). The new members of PTAA’s board of directors, representing the college’s eight departments, will meet during the second annual Technology Week to regroup and refocus PTAA’s efforts.

PTAA’s mission is to promote the image of the college through the engagement of students, alumni, faculty, staff, friends, and industry partners, and to foster a sense of pride for Purdue and the College of Technology. With funding being funneled from the larger Purdue alumni group, PTAA has the resources to create alumni initiatives and host alumni events throughout the region.

In addition to electing officers and planning summer events, the April 11 board meeting will focus on alumni programming. PTAA has a hand in both the alumni and student engagement arenas. The group will explore new initiatives involving communication, scholarships, and key opportunities to connect alumni with current students.

The Advancement Office welcomes your feedback as the PTAA organization reforms. Contact Erin Pennington, director of alumni and donor relations, at penninge@purdue.edu to share your thoughts on building a stronger Technology alumni network.