Emily Venderley named director of alumni relations

FORT WAYNE, Ind.—Purdue University Fort Wayne capped off its Homecoming 2020 celebration on Saturday by announcing the appointment of Emily Venderley as director of alumni relations.

No stranger to the Purdue Fort Wayne community, Venderley has served in the role of coordinator of university and development events since 2017. In her new role, she will work closely with the Mastodon Alumni Association board of directors to engage the university’s nearly 61,000 alumni in meaningful ways.

“As an integral member of the Office of Development, Emily has had the opportunity to engage with our alumni and donors and has shown a passion for them and the university,” said Ruth L. Stone, vice chancellor for development, Purdue Fort Wayne. “This is an exciting step forward for our alumni association and Mastodon community.”

Venderley has significant experience in event planning, communication, and customer relations. While at Purdue Fort Wayne, she has managed several high-profile events including the Top 50 Award Dinner, Mastodon Roast, Celebrate Philanthropy, Omnibus Speaker Series VIP receptions, and more.

“I have a strong connection with the university and Fort Wayne community, and believe I can use these connections to ignite pride in all those whose lives were positively shaped on this campus,” said Venderley. “I am eager to reach out to our alumni to learn what they want to see in the future from the Mastodon Alumni Association and how we can best serve them.”

A lifelong Fort Wayne resident, Venderley earned a bachelor’s degree in hospitality and tourism management from Purdue West Lafayette. Prior to arriving at Purdue Fort Wayne, she held multiple event leadership roles in Bloomington and Indianapolis.

Venderley will officially start as director of alumni relations on March 1.

For additional information, contact Geoff Thomas at 260-481-4106 (office), 260-437-7657 (mobile), or [email protected].

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