Dr. Nadine Dolby receives Purdue Jefferson Award
Dr. Nadine Dolby, Professor of Curriculum Studies in the College of Education at Purdue University, was selected to receive the Jefferson Award for accomplishments and impact in public service. Dr. Dolby was recognized at Purdue’s Annual Engagement Awards Ceremony on April 20.
The Jefferson Awards Foundation is the nation’s most prestigious and longest-standing organization dedicated to empowering and celebrating public service. Purdue recognizes up to six award winners each year, three each semester, and the top Jefferson Award winner will be selected from these awardees to represent Purdue at the annual national awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Dolby was selected for her work as founder and president of Animal Advocates of Greater Lafayette. Founded in 2019, Animal Advocates of Greater Lafayette is a non-profit (501c3) organization with a three-part mission of keeping animals out of shelters, keeping families together, and celebrating the human-animal bond. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Animal Advocates sponsored seven pet food pantries throughout the community, distributing over 40,000 pounds of food to families in need. Animal Advocates has also donated pet food to the ACE Food Pantry on Purdue’s campus. Other outreach and education programs include a virtual classroom collaboration with Food Finders Food Bank, programs to deliver pet presents to seniors homebound because of COVID-19, and a drive through pet present pantry for children and families during the holiday season. Among other programs, Animal Advocates is currently working in collaboration with PetSafe at the Purdue College of Veterinary Medicine and the Lafayette YWCA to support and expand programs and services for people with pets who are survivors of domestic violence.
“Animal Advocates’ efforts have been transformative in the local community, drawing attention to the many hard-working families who are struggling to provide for themselves and their pets,” said Dr. Dolby. “Pets belong with their families. We want to keep them with the families who love them and out of area shelters. I appreciate the support and recognition of The Jefferson Award. Animal Advocates of Greater Lafayette needs and appreciate the support of the local community, which allows us to continue to do this important work.”
Dr. Dolby earned a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University, a M.Ed. in Cultural Diversity and Curriculum Reform from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Dolby joined Purdue College of Education in 2004, with research interests including empathy in education, multicultural and international education, higher education, sustainability, and animals in education.
As a recent addition to the numerous services offered for animals and their owners, AAGL launched a new program, Home To Home, connecting people who need to rehome their animals with those seeking to adopt a new pet. The program facilitates rehoming pets directly into a new home, avoiding the stressful shelter environment. Home To Home makes the transition easier for pets and owners while leaving more shelter resources available for animals with no other options. To learn more about Home To Home, watch Star City’s recent interview with Dr. Dolby here.
Learn more about Dr. Nadine Dolby: https://education.purdue.edu//faculty-profiles/name/nadine-dolby/
Learn more about the Jefferson Foundation Awards: https://www.multiplyinggood.org/what-we-do/jefferson-awards/national-jefferson-awards
Learn more about Animal Advocates of Greater Lafayette: https://www.animaladvocatesgl.org/.
Source: Dr. Nadine Dolby, ndolby@purdue.edu, 765-496-2863
Writer: Kathryn Cockerill, kcockeri@purdue.edu