Purdue’s newest graduates take center stage at commencement

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue alumna and retired U.S. Air Force Major Gen. Theresa C. Carter keynoted two commencement ceremonies Dec. 16 at Purdue University’s West Lafayette campus.

The winter commencement ceremonies took place in Purdue’s Elliott Hall of Music on campus. Students in Health and Human Sciences, Krannert School of Management, Pharmacy, Purdue Polytechnic Institute, Science and Veterinary Medicine graduated during a morning ceremony. Those in Agriculture, Education, Engineering and Liberal Arts walked the Elliott Hall of Music stage in the afternoon.

Purdue President Mitch Daniels also spoke at both ceremonies. Both events also featured a student responder.

Carter served 31 years as a civil engineer officer and installation management leader. She is currently CEO and senior strategist for TC3 Solutions LLC.

Carter commanded five units, ranging in size from 400 to 8,000 members. She culminated her career by leading the Air Force’s largest and most complex reorganization since 1992, consolidating installation support activities at the intermediate command level, creating the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center and serving as its first commander. 

Carter was the first female civil engineering officer promoted to brigadier general and to serve as Air Force Civil Engineer, the career fields’ highest-ranking officer. She is a Purdue Distinguished Engineering Alumna, Outstanding Industrial Engineer award winner and Purdue ROTC Hall of Fame inductee.

An exuberant graduate shows off her Purdue diploma as she poses for a photo following commencement ceremonies Sunday (Dec. 16) at Purdue’s West Lafayette campus. (Purdue University photo/Mark Simons) Download image

Carter currently serves as a director of the Purdue Alumni Association and is a member of the United Water Federal Services Inc.’s board of advisers and Purdue’s Industrial Engineering Advisory Council.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering from Purdue, a master’s degree in industrial engineering from the University of Oklahoma, and a master’s degree from the National Defense University. She is enrolled as a doctoral student at Drexel University with anticipated completion in 2021.

The winter 2018 graduating class included approximately 1,491 undergraduate degree candidates, 709 master's degrees and 377 doctoral degree-seekers, two doctor of pharmacy and five doctor of nurse practice degree candidates.

Seon Shoopman, a student in the Purdue Polytechnic Institute from Indianapolis, gave the student response in the morning session. Jordan Cebulla, a student in the College of Liberal Arts from West Lafayette, was the student responder in the afternoon ceremony.

Writer: Matthew Oates 765-496-2571, oatesw@purdue.edu

Source: Christine Pass, 765-494-6163, dehahn@purdue.edu