alumni spotlights
Nancie Oxley (BS ’02, food science; MS ’10, agricultural economics) returned to campus in 2022 to share with Purdue students as an Old Master — one of nine exceptional professionals who has made significant contributions to their field. As vice president of winemaking and head winemaker of St. Julian Winery & Distillery, Oxley is Michigan’s first female professional winemaker. Since she joined its winemaking team, St. Julian has won more than 200 Best of Class and Double Gold awards.
Oxley has received the trifecta of alumni honors as a university-wide Old Master, 2019 Distinguished Ag Alumna and 2013 Department of Food Science Outstanding Alumna.
Travis Park (BS ’96, agricultural sciences education and communication; MS ’02, education administration), was named
director of agricultural education, National FFA board chair and National FFA advisor. In this three-year renewable role, he will co-direct the joint governance committee of the National FFA Organization and the National FFA Foundation Board of Trustees and serve as an advocate for issues affecting FFA and agricultural education stakeholders.
Park served as the 1992-1993 National FFA president and is now a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina State University.
Robert P. (Bob) Schowe (BS ’42, horticulture and landscape architecture), turned 102 on September 1, 2022, and is one of few Purdue graduates celebrating his 80th year as an alumnus. His freshman year, faculty mentor Professor Honeywell helped him land a job at a top florist in his hometown, Fort Wayne. After graduation, he pursued a master’s degree in horticulture at Cornell University but returned home during World War II. He eventually started Cottage Flowers, where he worked into his nineties, and which his nephew Jerry now runs. Schowe taught flower arranging at Purdue Fort Wayne for several years and also judged 4-H flower arranging competitions.
Schowe (center) celebrates here with (from left) his daughter-in-law Anne Cutter Schowe (BS ’72, computer science), granddaughter Christina Schowe (BA ’06, political science), nephew Edwin Schowe (BS ’68, science; MS ’74, industrial administration) and son R. Tom Schowe (BS ’71, industrial distribution). Not pictured is grandniece and current Purdue student Jessica Schowe (PharmD anticipated 2023).
Nancie Oxley (BS ’02, food science; MS ’10, agricultural economics) returned to campus in 2022 to share with Purdue students as an Old Master — one of nine exceptional professionals who has made significant contributions to their field. As vice president of winemaking and head winemaker of St. Julian Winery & Distillery, Oxley is Michigan’s first female professional winemaker. Since she joined its winemaking team, St. Julian has won more than 200 Best of Class and Double Gold awards.
Oxley has received the trifecta of alumni honors as a university-wide Old Master, 2019 Distinguished Ag Alumna and 2013 Department of Food Science Outstanding Alumna.
Travis Park (BS ’96, agricultural sciences education and communication; MS ’02, education administration), was named director of agricultural education, National FFA board chair and National FFA advisor. In this three-year renewable role, he will co-direct the joint governance committee of the National FFA Organization and the National FFA Foundation Board of Trustees and serve as an advocate for issues affecting FFA and agricultural education stakeholders.
Park served as the 1992-1993 National FFA president and is now a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina State University.
Robert P. (Bob) Schowe (BS ’42, horticulture and landscape architecture), turned 102 on September 1, 2022, and is one of few Purdue graduates celebrating his 80th year as an alumnus. His freshman year, faculty mentor Professor Honeywell helped him land a job at a top florist in his hometown, Fort Wayne. After graduation, he pursued a master’s degree in horticulture at Cornell University but returned home during World War II. He eventually started Cottage Flowers, where he worked into his nineties, and which his nephew Jerry now runs. Schowe taught flower arranging at Purdue Fort Wayne for several years and also judged 4-H flower arranging competitions.
Schowe (center) celebrates here with (from left) his daughter-in-law Anne Cutter Schowe (BS ’72, computer science), granddaughter Christina Schowe (BA ’06, political science), nephew Edwin Schowe (BS ’68, science; MS ’74, industrial administration) and son R. Tom Schowe (BS ’71, industrial distribution). Not pictured is grandniece and current Purdue student Jessica Schowe (PharmD anticipated 2023).
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