University Residences and Dining & Culinary annually present awards that celebrate accomplishments and dedication to leadership and service. These awards recognize individuals who demonstrate a commitment to the Purdue community through their involvement in residence hall organizations, student employment, community service and learning. Honorees were recognized at end-of-year banquets.

Abigail Lopez received the William I. Bennett Courtier Achievement Scholarship, which was established to preserve the spirit of the Courtiers of Fowler Courts and to recognize William I. Bennett for his years of service. The scholarship is awarded to an individual who has excelled in academics, exemplified their hall spirit and contributed to their residence hall community. Lopez serves as a conductor for the University Residences Alumni & Guest Center. In this role, she shares her University Residences experiences with prospective students, families, alumni and other visitors to campus. She is also a member of Purdue University Dance Marathon, American Pharmacists Association Academy of Students of Pharmacy, and Center for Health Equity and Innovation Student Ambassadors at Purdue.

Andrea Pacheco-Amara was named the UR Conductor of the Year, presented to a student employed in the Alumni & Guest Center who does an excellent job passing on the Boilermaker spirit. UR Conductors are students who help introduce parents, prospective students and guests to the University Residences community. Pacheco-Amaro has served as a UR Conductor for just over one year and has displayed exceptional customer service during that time. She makes the experiences of visitors personal by asking casual questions to engage visitors. Numerous survey feedback comments have recognized Pacheco-Amaro for her engaging and outgoing personality.

Charles “Chip" Stembler received the Lanny C. Wilson Scholarship, awarded to a student in University Residences who has achieved distinction in leadership while also employed in a student staff position. Stembler served as the residence education assistant (REA) in Cary Quad, where he served an important role in creating community for residents and working with resident assistants (RAs). Stembler engaged his community by planning and executing two trips to Chicago for Cary residents to experience culture. As the supervisor of Cary’s 24 RAs, he created an “RA Big Book,” which serves as a resource guide for RA staff and includes everything from calendars to how-to guides and budget sheets. His impact helped Cary RA staff stay organized and run programs for their community. Stembler is also a member of Aviation Ambassadors and Purdue Pilots, and serves as an usher at St. Thomas Aquinas. The Lanny C. Wilson Scholarship was established to recognize the contributions of Lanny Wilson, former director of University Residences, for his years of service to Purdue students.

Sarah Peterson was recognized as the Rakosnik RA of the Year, given to a student staff member who has positively impacted their residents, been an integral part of the residential community and actively supported the mission of Residential Life. Peterson has been an RA for four years and serves in Windsor Halls. As the eldest Windsor RA on staff, she shared her wealth of knowledge and connections within University Residences to be an asset to her team. Peterson's welcoming nature was especially helpful in helping a large number of first-year residents on her floor adjust to life at Purdue and in mentoring a new RA who joined the Windsor staff mid-year. Her programs and events, such as craft events, a trip to Turkey Run, cookie decorating, nail painting and additional well-being support, helped the third floor of Warren feel like home for her residents. Peterson additionally helped plan the Black Women Changemakers Gallery event, which honored the contributions to society made by Black women throughout history and helped plan trips to Chicago and Cincinnati. 

Madeline Powers, REA in Windsor Halls, was named the Rakosnik REA of the Year, which recognizes a residence education assistant (REA) who has positively impacted their residents, provided guidance and wisdom, and been an integral part of the University Residences community. Powers exemplifies the ideals of servant leadership, integrity and compassion for others. She organized team-building activities and supported wellness events for Windsor RA events, including yoga, cycling, bonding events and dinners. Powers further supported wellness by leading the revitalization of a basement space in Shealy into an area that promotes well-being activities. Some of the successful hall events she helped plan included pottery decoration, welcome to Windsor milkshakes and chalk art and a pumpkin painting event collaboration with the Center for Advocacy, Response and Education (CARE). She also helped plan the Black Women Changemakers Gallery event, which honored the contributions to society made by Black women throughout history.

Joshua Appleton, an RA within Honors College and Residences, was recognized as the student winner of the University Residences Changemaker Award. Appleton’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives was lauded by his nominator. Appleton organized sessions during student staff training to encourage fellow RAs to listen to the stories of students of color in the residence halls and across campus. Educating fellow staff and team members on diversity, equity and inclusion topics helps Appleton and his peers create an environment that is welcoming for Boilermakers of all backgrounds.

Tyler Messerly, REC assistant in Meredith South Residence Hall, was named the professional staff winner of the Changemaker Award. Messerly demonstrated a commitment to Meredith South through one-on-one meetings to learn more about each sub-community in the hall, ranging from learning about personal experiences to those within learning communities. Messerly promoted diversity, equity and inclusion trainings, such as the Safe Zone training to support LGBTQIA+ students, to staff and residents. He also planned, organized and implemented conference sessions during staff trainings.

Tarkington Hall was recognized as the Hall Community of the Year. The community helped residents build confidence in their leadership abilities through the Tark Career Fair Prep Week, which included interview practice, headshots, professional development workshops, an etiquette dinner and a mock career fair. Tarkington residents served the community on Tarkington Day of Giving, which consisted of cleaning the yards of elderly community members, raising money for Purdue University Dance Marathon (PUDM) and thanking service staff. Tarkington staff also partnered with the Residence Hall Association on the First Ever Bicentennial Wacky Dacky Rubber Ducky 5K Fun Run/Walk/Roll Race, which raised over 2000 meals to be donated to Generosity Feeds, which addresses food insecurity in the Greater Lafayette area. The Tarkington experience this year also included multiple off-campus trips for residents, a parent’s' weekend tailgate, a new “Tark Talk” podcast, floor themes such as “Jurassic Tark,” and the traditional Tark Shark football game. 

Amanda Pisarczyk received the Robert L. Paige Outstanding Leadership Award, which recognizes the importance of the contributions of an outstanding club president or governor. Pisarczyk became a RA in Windsor Halls midway through the year. Prior to the move, Pisarczyk served as president of The Society, the hall club of Honors College and Residences, where she planned numerous events to engage hall residents and grow club participation. One of the unique events she helped organize, known as “Happy Birthday to You,” brought 100 residents together to play games and bond. Each attendee also received a present. She was also part of Purdue’s contingent to attend the Great Lakes Association of College and University Residence Halls (GLACURH) conference.

Brooke Bonny was awarded the First Year Student Success Award, given to a first-year student who showed great potential for growth by being promoted or beginning the process of being promoted. Bonny joined the 1bowl @ Meredith team as a Jumpstart participant in August 2022. Her willingness to learn and strive to do her best set her apart and put her on a fast track to promotion. She set the ambitious goal of being promoted before Christmas break and completed all training a week and a half in advance to meet her goal. As a supervisor, she holds herself to a high standard and encourages student staff to improve their knowledge and skills.

Gabrielle Joley earned the Mary T. Wiltshire Award, established to recognize a student worker in Earhart Dining Court who exemplifies a standard of excellence. The honoree is selected based on cooperation, responsibility, motivation, respect, skill, work and citizenship. Joley was recognized by her nominators for her positivity, strong work ethic, and “can do” attitude. After starting as a student associate, she was quickly promoted to student cook and continued to be a strong asset to her fellow student employees. Her leadership qualities are reflected at work and in her classroom and community involvement. She also serves as historian for Minorities in Agricultural, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS).

Jade Frye was named the winner of the Midwest Association of Student Employment Administrators Employee of the Year Award. Frye has been an employee at 1bowl @ Meredith for the last four years. She was promoted to student manager and has been one of the most reliable employees at 1bowl, routinely working more than she is scheduled, volunteering to stay after shifts and filling in to cover shifts. She leads a monthly supervisor meeting and an associate meeting, and puts together student appreciation events by involving fellow supervisors to plan activities, the menu and more. She also voluntarily attends monthly student success meetings and has served as a Jumpstart mentor for several years. During the spring semester this year, she helped implement a new scheduling program as one of the first areas of Dining to use a new app. This involved learning new programs, messaging applications and other features.

Crosley Stanley, dining court supervisor in Ford Dining Court, was recognized with the William “Bill” Rumple Residential Dining Head Captain Award. The award was established in honor of William and Tim Rumple, both of whom provided outstanding service to University Residences Dining Services as former head waiters at Fowler Courts and Cary Quadrangle. The award is given to a student manager or coordinator in residential dining services who has achieved distinction in leadership. Stanley began her leadership journey in Dining & Culinary as a student HR manager-in-training in September 2021, training to take over a position that had been vacant for several months and excelling as she grew into the role. She later stepped into a student manager position and immediately trained three managers-in-training while handling all office duties. Her nominator notes that she holds the unofficial titles of “Ford Historian” and “Ford Mom” due to the amount of time she has spent working in Ford.

Jillian Pruss was named the Sarah Johnson Outstanding Student Employee of the Year based on reliability, quality of work, teamwork and contributions to Purdue Dining & Culinary. The award recognizes the contributions of Sarah Johnson, former director of residential dining for University Residences, who dedicated 37 years of service to students at Purdue and the National Association for Colleges and University Food Services. Pruss served as the student manager at Earhart Dining Court, where she worked 20-25 hours a week on top of her studies. She made an impact by leading supervisor meetings, promoting student employees and managing disciplinary issues. She helped build a robust supervisor team in Earhart through her attention to detail, positive outlook and coaching management style. Her nominator highlighted Pruss’ commitment to promoting students and her passion for the people who work in Earhart.

Written by: Matthew Vader, Writer, Student Life Marketing