Purdue announces new vice provost

By Anna Herkamp
Summer Reporter

Purdue has recently announced a new position that will intensify the already existing outreach programs of the University.

Provost Sally Frost Mason announced Friday that the new vice provost for engagement position will help Purdue's programs become better known throughout the state.

The new vice provost, Don Gentry, will step down from his 14 year position as Dean of the School of Technology and resume the position that he said he is "really excited" about. The position will be effective Aug. 1.

In a press release, Frost Mason said Gentry will work with various aspects of Indiana to expand state opportunities by working with governmental leaders and businesses as well as community members to emphasize Purdue's role as an educational leader.

The long-term goal of instating the vice provost position is to make Indiana more prosperous economically, said Gentry. One way he plans to make Purdue more visible statewide is to show support of communities.

"We will try to encourage all of (Purdue's academic schools) to have outreach programs so Purdue is visible to the state and local communities," he said.

Gentry said he also wants to have projects designed to help youths who are having trouble in school by giving them assistance from Purdue tutors through an increased number of community service projects.

"There is a broad range of possibilities. Purdue programs need to be visible whether through newspaper stories or public addresses. I think the best way to be visible is to be there with programs and services so people say 'Purdue is there helping us,'" he said.

Examples Gentry gave of outreach programs are elementary and secondary school programs that would better prepare students for Purdue's curriculums. One plan will focus on Indianapolis Public School high school students by reinforcing math, science and reading skills.

Other plans include a goal of helping businesses similar to those in Purdue's Research Park start in other areas of the state.

In the past, Purdue has made many partnerships with larger companies for recruitment, but Gentry said he plans to expand on such efforts so that Purdue's talent, especially in the areas of technology, science and engineering will be more known to Indiana employers.

Purdue president Martin Jischke called this type of expansion "technology driven development." He said Purdue plans to partner with those employers who need tech savvy employees and encourage them to hire Purdue graduates with those skills.

Through this work, he said, "we'll continue to see this economy grow and diversify — not only economically, but in other ways as well."

Gentry said most of the challenges of his new position are yet to be seen. The biggest challenge will be to put together all the resources to make the new engagement effort work.

"I'm sure there will be opportunities we haven't foreseen," said Gentry. However, he said, "The whole idea is if we can improve the economy and boost the level of jobs, more Purdue grads will stay in Indiana and the economic situation will improve."

Jischke said, "We know Indiana is a leader in technically trained people. We have more graduates with a technology title in their degree than anyone in the country. The (Indiana) economy doesn't reflect that."

Connecting jobs here in Indiana is an important part of the engagement effort, he said.

Of Purdue's outreach programs as a whole, Gentry said, "What's good for Indiana is good for Purdue. If the economy improves, the potential of Purdue getting a share of it grows as well. If the economy improves, so does Purdue University."

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