Boilermaker Educator

An e-magazine of the Purdue University College of Education

Fall 2025

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings places us at #47 worldwide for earning an Education degree
(#14 among US publics–#1 in Indiana)!

Phillip VanFossen and Razak Dwomoh standing in front of a banner with Dwomoh's name and photo.
Interim Dean VanFossen with Distinguished Education Alumnus Dr. Razak Dwomoh

Message from the Interim Dean

Hello, Boilermaker,

I want to keep this short so you can spend your time reading about the great things – what I call our “quinoa nuggets” – happening with Boilermaker Educators in the Purdue College of Education. I’ve been describing our College the past 3.5 years as “quinoa in a field of wheat (of Colleges of Education)” and some of our exciting news items are:

Take some time to look through our newly-redesigned College website, which features a new “program finder” to make it easier for prospective students  to explore our undergrad, graduate, and online offerings, and is more streamlined and better organized than ever before. We recognize and thank our Web Developer Kerri Richard son and Associate Web Designer Pablo Moore for tackling this immense project and successfully launching it in October.

And enjoy our inaugural Boilermaker Educator Spotlight (below) about alumnae Kelsey (Sager) Rusk and Marjorie Sprunger. Submit info to the college to spotlight another alum (even yourself) in a future issue.

Boiler Up and Hammer Down!!

Phillip J. VanFossen
Interim Dean, College of Education

News

A still of Bill Watson during an interview. Beside him is the following text,

How AI is transforming education

Nate Albin making a speech at a podium.

2 Distinguished Alumni honored

A group of GEAR UP students standing in front of a whiteboard and smiling.

INGU Summer Camps 2025

Events

A graphic of a multicolored pathway with various science symbols.

Indiana STEM Ed

January 15, 2026
Hua Hua Chang and a group of five graduate students standing in a conference hall.

Purdue AI in P-12 Ed

November 10, 2025
A group of Purdue community educators standing on a football field and wearing Purdue apparel. They are smiling and waving to the camera.

Golden Hammer Educator Appreciation football game

August 30, 2025

Boilermaker Educator Spotlight

Kelsey (Sager) Rusk seated at a table in a classroom. She is smiling and teaching her students about numbers.

Kelsey (Sager) Rusk (BA Elementary Ed ’13)

“I’ve taught for 12 years and am a proud Purdue Alumna. I taught for two years in inner city Indianapolis with Teach for America. The past 10 years I have taught in Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation where I was awarded the district teacher of the year in April 2024. I am a proud public school educator and proud Purdue Boilermaker!”

Marjorie Sprunger (BA Elementary Ed ’73, MSED ’79)

Marjorie spent a large part of her career teaching in Tippecanoe School Corporation, collaborating with Purdue in rolling out the Literacy Collaborative Initiative. After she retired from teaching children, she was hired by Purdue to monitor student teaching in classrooms throughout Lafayette. She is a dedicated Boilermaker Educator with forward thinking ideas to support education at every level!

Marjorie Sprunger

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