{"id":836,"date":"2019-12-10T14:52:15","date_gmt":"2019-12-10T14:52:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ascblogs.lib.purdue.edu\/fall2019-honors49900\/?p=836"},"modified":"2020-01-27T18:29:04","modified_gmt":"2020-01-27T18:29:04","slug":"betty-nelson-leaving-a-legacy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ascblogs.lib.purdue.edu\/fall2019-honors49900\/2019\/12\/10\/betty-nelson-leaving-a-legacy\/","title":{"rendered":"Betty Nelson: Leaving a Legacy"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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by Anna Szolwinski<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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      Betty Nelson knows how to go out in style. In 1995, Betty retired from Purdue with a celebration titled \u201cBetty\u2019s Blast-Off, Celebrating Dean Nelson\u2019s Past, Present, and Future.\u201d (1) Guests were invited to the social with invitations depicting ice cream cones and the words \u201cHere\u2019s the Scoop!\u201d Betty\u2019s \u201cfan club members,\u201d of which there were many, lined up to give their best wishes for the retiring Dean. For someone with as much spunk and spirit as Dean Nelson, there was no better way to appropriately celebrate her going away. Although Betty had blasted off into her retired life, her legacy had only just begun. <\/span><\/p>\n

     Betty wasted no time before diving into the Greater Lafayette community and expanding her outreach beyond Purdue. Angie Klink describes Betty in retirement as:<\/span><\/p>\n

 \u201cHer head bent slightly forward, scurrying to the next volunteer meeting, community art <\/span>shows, Purdue reception, Purdue retiree event, or alumni gathering…she [swirls] through a room of Purdue community members or civic friends, talking with each person, remembering tidbits of their lives, including personal triumphs and challenges. She [is] never afraid to speak to the heart of a matter with fearless candor softened with humor and her serene grace.\u201d (2) <\/p>\n

     Although Betty\u2019s extracurricular commitments seem to be endless, some of her current and past involvements include member of the University Libraries Dean\u2019s Advisory Council, Lafayette Community Campaign Steering Committee, University Convocations Advisory Board, Purdue University Retirees Association, a board member and officer of the Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette, the first woman president of the Lafayette Rotary club, an active board member of the Lafayette YWCA, president of the Lafayette YWCA Foundation, officer of the Tippecanoe Chamber Music Society, and chair of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholars selection committee. In regard to her extensive list of involvements, Betty says, \u201cPeople are really important to me. They inspire me.\u201d As for curiosity, \u201cIt enriches life phenomenally. It causes me to see things and wonder.\u201d (3) <\/span><\/p>\n

     As a result of her tireless dedication to enhancing the lives of those in the West Lafayette community, Betty has received numerous awards from those impacted by her efforts. At Purdue, she has been given honorary memberships in some of the most distinguished campus organizations including but not limited to Iron Key, Mortar Board, Old Masters, Alpha Lambda Delta, Reamer Club, and Omicron Delta Kappa. In 2014, she was awarded the Distinguished Lifetime Membership award from Mortar Board, which recognizes alumni who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in their professional lives, representing Mortar Board\u2019s commitment to the ideals of scholarship, leadership, and service. When receiving the award, Betty humbly stated, \u201cI think maybe I\u2019ve gotten to the point in my life where I\u2019m thinking this is more about modeling some behavior to get others excited about doing things with their students in their community.\u201d (4) Additionally, Betty was awarded the Grand Marquis de Lafayette for her contributions to the community and leadership as a volunteer. Within Greater Lafayette, Betty significantly helped Indiana Business College, St. Elizabeth Medical Center, and the Greater Lafayette Community Foundation. Despite its length, this list of awards is nowhere near complete nor indicative of the influence Betty has had in making West Lafayette and Lafayette a more inclusive, kind-spirited community. Jane Hamblin, former associate dean of students and friend to Betty, eloquently describes Betty\u2019s drive for equality. She writes that Betty is \u201ca tireless advocate for equal opportunities and equal rights, [she] does not let a day go by without focusing a watchful eye on the gender, racial and ethnic make-up of corporate boards in her community; without failing to draw attention to the accessibility of a venue or event; or without doing the hard work of helping others navigate the hidden, but very real, barriers placed in their way by a slow-moving social structure.\u201d (5)<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Dean of Students Emerita Betty M. Nelson is honored by Staff of Purdue University Virginia Kelly Karnes Archives and Special Collections. (6)<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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     Not only has Betty earned many well-deserved awards, but she has also had multiple accolades and honors created in her name. The Betty M. Nelson Special Recognition Award was created by the Purdue University Retirees Association to acknowledge those who have greatly improved the lives of retirees. Additionally, in 1996, the Mortar Board National Honor Society created the Dean Betty Nelson Service Award to honor one Purdue student affiliated with a student organization and one student organization, both of which excel in community service in the Lafayette-West Lafayette area. These students often go unrecognized due to their nature as \u201cservants\u201d to their fellow citizens. (7) Finally, the Betty M. Nelson Skilled Leader Award is given to a participant of the Emily Mauzy Vogel sophomore Leadership Conference who has contributed significantly to Purdue in the year following the conference. Not only do the latter two awards support students financially, but they enable Purdue students to be impacted and inspired by Betty\u2019s legacy. Students can also be reminded of her time at Purdue while walking past the marker in Betty\u2019s name, located near Knoy Hall. The $25,000 project was funded entirely with donations from Betty\u2019s friends and from Mortar Board, exemplifying the number of students, faculty, and community members she touched during her time at Purdue. (8)<\/span><\/p>\n

     Betty\u2019s voice remains widely respected on campus, and she never fails to ask questions or fight for what she knows to be just. With a pen and paper or a simple email message, Betty\u2019s words send earthquakes rumbling through Purdue\u2019s campus. Jane Hamblin captures Betty\u2019s famous email habits perfectly and writes:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen an email arrives at two o\u2019clock in the morning, it\u2019s probably from a credit card <\/span>company, chain store, political campaign \u2026 OR it might also be from Betty M. Nelson…After a hectic day of community strategy meetings and events, Betty tackles her inbox in the wee hours. Her emails are sometimes forwards of newsy pieces from the local papers in Greater Lafayette, Ind., or from the Purdue News Service. Often, they are priceless gems of well-crafted writing that completely defy the strictures of \u201cInbox Zero.\u201d (9)<\/p>\n

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     One of the most notable events about which Betty made her voice heard occurred in 2018 after Purdue made public its plans to build a $2 million gateway at State and Grant Streets. Although grand in architecture and aesthetic appeal, the gateway required that an \u201cunderwhelming\u201d marker dedicated to former Dean Beverly Stone be demolished. Stone spent 24 years of her life dedicated to improving the lives of Purdue students, and as a result, the Panhellenic Association spent five years fundraising to construct a marker in her honor. In response to the gateway development, Betty worked tirelessly as an advocate for her long-time friend and mentor. When asked about the construction, she replied: \u201cI\u2019m not sure I understand what the university is doing. I\u2019m not sure the university understands what it is doing…Those students\u2019 tribute to Dean Stone all those years ago is not what I\u2019d call underwhelming.\u201d (10) Although the marker dedicated to Stone was still removed, Betty was able to ensure that a bronze plaque in Stone\u2019s name was included on the gateway. She remarked, \u201cI\u2019m just so student-oriented that it seems unconscionable to me to be ready to take down something that students created without any consultation with them…It doesn\u2019t seem appropriate to me.\u201d (11) In typical Betty fashion, her concern for students prevailed. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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1996 photo of former Purdue deans of students, from left, Beverly Stone, Barbara Cook, and Betty Nelson sitting in front of the campus marker honoring Nelson (photo: courtesy of Angie Klink) (12)<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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     Beverly Stone, one of Betty\u2019s closest friends, wrote to Betty in a letter, \u201cI think you are the angel who has cared for me over the years – thank you, dear angel!\u201d (13) Like Beverly, the residents of Greater Lafayette thank Betty for being the angel who has cared for their community over the years. With her quick-wit and graceful strength, Betty captivates the hearts of those she meets and continues to share her nuggets of wisdom with those lucky enough to be privileged with her presence. In one of her distinctive emails, Betty wrote, \u201cLove focusing on the future but also think it is valuable to take advantage of what has been learned in the past.\u201d (14) Each day, generations of Boilermakers and Greater Lafayette community members have the opportunity to learn from Betty\u2019s legacy of female empowerment, student advocacy, and community involvement. As she continues to make giant leaps, her legacy will forever inspire women in the gender revolution at Purdue University.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Betty Nelson at the Purdue University Residences Women\u2019s Leadership Series (15)<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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[1] Angie Klink, <\/span>The Deans\u2019 Bible: Five Purdue Women and Their Quest for Equality<\/span><\/i>.\u00a0<\/span>(West Lafayette: Purdue University Press, 2014), 422.<\/span><\/p>

[2] Angie Klink, <\/span>The Deans\u2019 Bible<\/span><\/i>, 425.<\/span><\/p>

[3] \u201cZest for Life Fills Nelson\u2019s Days,\u201d The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette,\u00a0<\/span>http:\/\/www.cfglaf.org\/index.php\/donor-opportunities-2\/donor-spotlight<\/span><\/a> (accessed December 4, 2019).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

[4] Purdue Dean Emerita Receives National Honor, Box 1, <\/span>Miscellaneous speeches,\u00a0<\/span>correspondence, activities and awards<\/span>, Betty Nelson collection, Purdue University\u00a0<\/span>Archives and Special Collections, Purdue University Libraries.<\/span><\/p>

[5] Jane A. Hamblin. \u201cBetty Nelson: Talented Writer of Late Night Emails.\u201d Forum –\u00a0<\/span>Autumn 2016.\u00a0 Accessed December 4, 2019,<\/span>http:\/\/pubs.royle.com\/article\/Foundation_Spotlight\/2668109\/370151\/article.html<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

[6] Angie Klink (@Author Angie Klink), “<\/span>Dean of Students Emerita Betty M. Nelson is\u00a0<\/span>honored by Staff of <\/span>Purdue University<\/span><\/a>,” Facebook, March 12, 2015,\u00a0<\/span>https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AuthorAngieKlink\/photos\/a.365480203522108\/90375<\/span><\/a>0269695096\/?type=3&theater<\/span><\/a><\/p>

[7] \u201cDean Betty Nelson Service Award.\u201d Purdue University Mortar Board. Accessed\u00a0<\/span>December 4, 2019, <\/span>http:\/\/purduemortarboard.com\/service-2\/<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

[8] Monroe. \u201cCampus marker to honor retired dean.\u201d Purdue News.\u00a0<\/span>https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/uns\/html4ever\/1996\/961011.Nelson.marker.html<\/span><\/a>. (accessed December 4, 2019).<\/span><\/p>

[9] Jane A. Hamblin. \u201cBetty Nelson: Talented Writer of Late Night Emails.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

[10] Dave Bangert, \u201cBangert: Is Purdue trailblazer\u2019s \u2018underwhelming\u2019 tribute in way of new $2M campus gateway?\u201d <\/span>Journal & Courier <\/span><\/i>(Lafayette, IN), October 11, 2018. Accessed December 4, 2019. <\/span>https:\/\/www.jconline.com\/story\/opinion\/columnists\/dave-bangert\/2018\/10\/11\/bangert-trailblazers-underwhelming-tribute-way-purdue\/1601222002\/<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

[11] Ibid.<\/span><\/p>

[12] Ibid.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>

[13] Letter to Betty Nelson from Beverly Stone, Box 18, Folder 9, Barbara Cook Papers, Purdue University Archives and Special Collections, Purdue University Libraries.<\/span><\/p>

[14] Betty Nelson. Email, 2019.<\/span><\/p>

[15] Matt Vader, \u201cConnecting Across Generations in Women\u2019s Leadership Series\u201d <\/span>Get Reconnected <\/span><\/i>(West Lafayette, IN), April 2019. Accessed December 4, 2019. <\/span>https:\/\/www.housing.purdue.edu\/AboutUs\/ReConnected\/Newsletter\/2019\/04\/index.html<\/span><\/a><\/p>

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by Anna Szolwinski       Betty Nelson knows how to go out in style. In 1995, Betty retired from Purdue with a celebration titled \u201cBetty\u2019s Blast-Off, Celebrating Dean Nelson\u2019s Past, Present, and Future.\u201d (1) Guests were invited to the social with invitations depicting ice cream cones and the words \u201cHere\u2019s the Scoop!\u201d Betty\u2019s \u201cfan club members,\u201d of which there were many, lined up to give their best wishes for the retiring… Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":839,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[7,27,11,55,6,57],"class_list":["post-836","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-betty-nelson-modeling-campus-leadership","tag-feminism","tag-purdue","tag-purdue-history","tag-women-history","tag-women-in-higher-education","tag-women-leaders"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-23 07:11:47","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascblogs.lib.purdue.edu\/fall2019-honors49900\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/836","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascblogs.lib.purdue.edu\/fall2019-honors49900\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascblogs.lib.purdue.edu\/fall2019-honors49900\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascblogs.lib.purdue.edu\/fall2019-honors49900\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascblogs.lib.purdue.edu\/fall2019-honors49900\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=836"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/ascblogs.lib.purdue.edu\/fall2019-honors49900\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/836\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1104,"href":"https:\/\/ascblogs.lib.purdue.edu\/fall2019-honors49900\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/836\/revisions\/1104"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascblogs.lib.purdue.edu\/fall2019-honors49900\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/839"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ascblogs.lib.purdue.edu\/fall2019-honors49900\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=836"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascblogs.lib.purdue.edu\/fall2019-honors49900\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=836"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ascblogs.lib.purdue.edu\/fall2019-honors49900\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=836"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}