For Sue Kramer, being a Boilermaker is a family affair.
Kramer graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Audiology and Speech Sciences in 1981. She and her late husband, Richard (1982) raised two daughters, Melissa (2010) and Meghan (2007) who are proud alumna. She also has several grandchildren who are already getting a taste of what it means to be a Boilermaker.
Living in the residence halls was a central part of Kramer’s experience on campus. She lived on campus for four years and was a member of Harrison Hall’s Cavalier Club. Kramer says she loved the experience of living on campus.
“I liked the idea that it was a group of people that were family to me,” Kramer says. “It was my home for four years and it was a very important part of my life.”
It was in Harrison that Kramer developed treasured relationships with roommates that continue to this day. She recently reunited with several of her former roommates for an Air Supply concert in Lafayette. Living with and down the hall from her best friends provided her with some of her favorite memories of being a Boilermaker.
“I think it was both a hindrance and help,” Kramer laughs. “I think the hindrance was that you were with your friends all the time and you wanted to have fun – but it also gave us a good environment. We had quiet hours and they were enforced. Looking back now, I liked the fact that I had someone around to monitor some of that rather than just going crazy with everything every day. We had expectations, even in the residence halls, and I appreciate that now.”
Both of Kramer’s daughters, Melissa and Meghan also had foundational experiences living with University Residences.
“I think they both appreciated the experience and what they had learned from it,” Kramer says. “I think it’s a great learning experience.”
Kramer and her family continue to stay connected to Purdue, holding season football tickets and driving down from Crown Point for the occasional walk around campus during the summer. Kramer’s grandchildren, Sarabeth, Jackson, Ellie, Rylee and Aubrey, ranging in age from two to nine years old, enjoy playing in the fountains. The family will also visit Arni’s Pizza, a Lafayette staple on their trips, but it’s always the time on campus that highlights any return visit. During a recent Homecoming weekend, Kramer’s older brother was able to visit Cary Quad for the first time in nearly 40 years.
“It’s very heartwarming,” Kramer says of being back on campus. “The memories flow back and it’s just a very happy experience because it was a happy time of my life with lots of great memories.”
Kramer and her granddaughters also recently participated in Grandparents University, hosted by the Purdue for Life Foundation. The two-day program allows grandparents and grandchildren to pick a major, attend classes and graduate. Kramer and her granddaughters chose to learn about the restaurant industry and participated in hands-on activities, including making a pizza.
Since graduating, Kramer has spent 42 years as a speech-language pathologist, some of which were spent in private practice. She now works for Northwest Indiana Special Education Cooperative and will celebrate her retirement at the end of the 2023-24 school year.
When reflecting on her time at Purdue and how her time on campus helped shape her friendships and family experiences, Kramer says she would do it all over again.
“I miss it,” Kramer says. “It’s something that I always tell my kids – if I could do it again, I would in a heartbeat. I really think kids should always have an experience like that. It’s a way to grow up and hopefully have a healthy life.”