Purdue Alumni Association
Historical Information
The Purdue Alumni Association (PAA) is an independently financed, nonprofit alumni organization. Through the support of dues-paying members worldwide, it offers its services to all alumni, as well as funding for programs, services, and scholarships offered by the PAA and alumni clubs and groups.
Founded in 1878 as "The General Alumni Association," the association’s purpose was to allow graduates to keep in touch with one another and served as the first entity on campus that communicated to alumni. Satellite clubs were later formed in other parts of the country, with Chicago and Indianapolis being the first in 1890.
In 1907, the Purdue University Alumni Bulletin became the PAA’s first publication. It was later renamed to the Bulletin of the Purdue Alumni Association (1909), before arriving at its current name, the Purdue Alumnus, in 1914.
In 1927, a state statute was enacted which increased the alumni-elected trustees to the Purdue University Board of Trustees from one to three. Until that time, George Ade had been the sole alumni trustee.
In 2004, The PAA moved to the Dick and Sandy Dauch Alumni Center on the south side of campus. In 2021, they merged with the Purdue for Life Foundation.
Citation:
"About," Purdue Alumni Association. Accessed September 27, 2022. https://www.purduealumni.org/aboutFound in 10 Collections and/or Records:
George Ade papers
Purdue Alumni Association records
Arthur and Roberta Bitzer papers
The Arthur and Roberta Bitzer photographs, schedule card and buttons are from the Bitzer's time as students at Purdue University. Types of materials include: black and white photographs of campus scenes and student life, a schedule card and buttons.
Allen C. Boggs collection
Receipt - Purdue Alumni Association Life Membership, 1920 (Initialed "Paid HGL," by Harry G. Leslie, '04, who was executive director of the Association at that time, and who later was elected Governor of Indiana.)
Dauch Alumni Center records
The Dauch Alumni Center records contain an information booklet describing the center's purpose and offerings to the Purdue Community as well as a floorplan of the building.
Edward C. Elliott papers
Purdue University Office of Publications Oral History Program collection
The Purdue Office of Publications Oral History Program collection documents Purdue University history through oral history interviews with Purdue University professors and administrators. Types of materials include: printed material, cassette tapes, reel-to-reel tapes, compact discs, and digital materials. Interview topics include Purdue history and changes in administration and academic departments.
Purdue University Alumni Directory card
The collection consists of one card from the Alumni Address Department dated December 28, 1927 and addressed to Mr. Raymond Jolly.
Purdue University Newsreels and Year in Review recordings
The Purdue Newsreel began in 1956 as a yearly film, and later video, review of university events of the previous year. Contents of each recording focus upon academics, student activities, campus structures, athletics, and special events. One silent film, circa 1943-1945, is also included in the collection. In 2013, the Purdue Newsreel was renamed the Purdue Year in Review.
George Zebrowski papers
The collection consists of one folder which contains a poem written by George Zebrowski as a student and a certificate of membership for the Purdue Alumni Association.