2024 Special Boilermaker Award recipients announced

The Purdue Alumni Association has named Anthony Cawdron, Renee Thomas and Frank Robert Sabol as recipients of the 2024 Special Boilermaker Award for their dedication to Purdue.

Established in 1981, the award honors members of the Purdue faculty or staff who have contributed significantly to the improvement of the quality of life and/or the betterment of the educational experience for a substantial number of Purdue students.

Ken Sam, past president of the Purdue Alumni Association and chair for the award selection committee, presented the awardees with pewter locomotive sculptures on the field at Ross-Ade Stadium during Purdue’s home game against Oregon on Oct. 18.

Cawdron is the event coordinator at Westwood and an adjunct instructor in the White Lodging-J.W. Marriott, Jr. School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. His nominators said, “Anthony has been a part of so many historic Purdue moments and is a true ‘keeper’ of Purdue traditions and history. He has transitioned through a handful of different leaders and has always done so with class, dignity and a desire to make the experience unique and memorable for each president.”

Thomas is the associate vice provost for diversity, inclusion and belonging. According to her nominators, “Thomas had been a pillar of the Purdue community since she joined the Purdue Black Cultural Center in 1990, later becoming its director in 1996. Under her guidance, the BCC evolved into a nationally recognized center, celebrated as one of the best collegiate cultural centers in the country. This transformation is a testament to her visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to student development, historical documentation, and inclusivity of learning and enrichment for all.”

Sabol is the associate head of and a professor in the Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance. His nominators wrote, “Having taught in public schools for 23 years and at Purdue for 30 years, Dr. Sabol knows firsthand how to convey purpose, build skills and prepare future art educators. Generations of art educators who began their journey with him now positively impact the lives of thousands of students. ‘Dr. Bob’ — as his students affectionately call him — reaches the hearts, minds and creative hands of every student lucky enough to have him as their professor.”

The Purdue Alumni Association accepts nominations from July 1 to Aug. 1 each year. Nominations may be made by any person or group affiliated with Purdue — students, faculty, staff or alumni. The names of recipients are inscribed on the recognition obelisk on Purdue Mall and on a plaque in the Dick and Sandy Dauch Alumni Center.

For more information about the award, check out the award website or contact Joel Hartman, senior director of volunteerism and college engagement at the Purdue for Life Foundation, at jbhartman@purdueforlife.org.