More than a horseman: Mark Russell’s lifelong commitment to helping others grow

For some people at Purdue, he is known as a horse expert, a respected colleague who listens, a professor who cares. To others, he has been an encouraging voice that led them to expand their horizons and step outside their comfort zones on international trips.

In all capacities, Mark Russell has been a guiding force in Purdue Agriculture for almost 50 years. In all his roles, he has been dedicated to empowering others to discover their potential.

His own path shaped his purpose

“I was told a lot as a kid that I should be a vet. That has become a part of my story because I think helping students find their next experience and what is the best fit for them is important.”

Russell was raised in rural upstate New York and loved horses, which led him to Cornell University after high school. "Growing up, I had been told I was supposed to be a veterinarian, so I followed that path. I got a bachelor’s degree in animal sciences at Cornell, and then I didn’t get into veterinary school. What I learned from the experience is that sometimes we don’t always understand all of the opportunities out there that could be a fit for us in our career. This personal experience made me passionate about helping others find their options and match," Russell said. This pivot also brought him to the University of Illinois, where he became an extension horse specialist and earned his master's and doctoral degrees.

After completing his PhD, getting married and starting his family, Russell knew it was time for the next step in his career. “I interviewed at four universities and I chose Purdue. That was in 1982, and I have stayed here ever since,” he said. 

Living the land-grant mission

“I started out being very motivated to help animals, but it was really about helping people, and that is what I have focused my career on: helping others.”

Russell believes that the role of an extension specialist is to help people solve their own problems. “What I have found is that people aren’t really looking for others to tell them what to do. They are looking for someone to listen and to help them find the resources they need,” Russell said. 

Russell’s initial roles included an extension appointment, teaching a horse management course and coaching the horse judging team. Over the years, he started teaching other courses related to career readiness. His career took another direction when Russell and animal sciences professor Ron Lemenager had an idea for a new program.

They started the Spring Break Animal Industry Tour to learn about animal agriculture across the country. “That spring break trip certainly was the beginning of this idea to provide students opportunities that would stretch and grow them in ways beyond West Lafayette,” Russell explained.

The concept of the land-grant university is to serve the people of the land of that state specifically. Whether in Indiana or across the globe, my work has always been about using people skills and facilitation skills to help communities solve their own problems," he said.

Stepping beyond borders, inspiring growth

“What I have found is that when you step out of your comfort zone, you grow the most. It has been a great joy to me to help many students step out of their comfort zones and grow over the years.”

As the program grew, it provided opportunities for students to experience agriculture on a global scale. They started with taking a group of students to China, where they had faculty and Purdue alumni connections, and then partnered with the agronomy department to travel to Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and other Eastern European countries.

A conversation with former dean Jay Akridge led Russell to expand his international work from Romania to Haiti, and later to Iraq.

“The mindset for helping these countries was the same as in my extension work. The goal was to come alongside the local university to help solve their problems,” Russell said.  

Through new roles and titles, his desire to help others never wavered. “I thought a couple of times about leaving the university and going to a feed or a nutrition company. I remember my father asked me at one time years ago, ‘What do you like most about your job?’ I responded, ‘Helping students decide what’s next in their lives.’ So, I stayed put because the work I was doing was what I was meant to do.”

Food science senior Emily Reeves was mentored by Russell during an international trip to Thailand and Cambodia. "He has listened, guided and encouraged me and helped me outline some of my future career goals,” Reeves said. “Dr. Russell sees the potential in every student and loves to help them grow and achieve their goals. He taught me that I can do hard things in life and that the journey to reaching a goal is just as important as the destination."

His efforts have been recognized in the lives he touched, and also in awards he has received. In 2019, he received the Distinguished International Educator Award for Agricultural Education. In 2020, Russell received the Frederick L. Hovde Award of Excellence in appreciation of his commitment to educational service in rural Indiana and beyond, and in 2024, he was awarded the Unsung Diversity Hero Award. 

A legacy of service etched in Purdue History

“Looking back, I’m proud of the strong relationships I have formed with generations of students and alumni. Now I am getting the opportunity to work with the second generation and, in some cases, the third generation of students. It has been a gift to me to be an advisor, a professor, and a teacher and to be there for people.”

Eric Steiner, an agricultural education alumnus and Senior Policy Advisor with Olsson Frank Weeda’s (OFW) Law, experienced Russell's impact firsthand.

"Dr. Russell demonstrates care for students' well-being and opportunities and prioritizes mentoring to help others along their journey through life. Never boastful or full of ego, he's not too proud or important to hold a sleeping toddler he just met to support the family of Purdue agriculture alumni. Dr. Russell treats others with respect, kindness and civility—the kind of life I strive to live," Steiner said.

In 2025, Russell officially “retired,” but with nearly 50 years of connections to the university. He is enjoying more time on his family farm with his wife, Laurie, spending days in the barn with his horses, and traveling with his family. But even in retirement, he continues to help with the planning and execution of international trips within the College of Agriculture. He still makes time on his calendar to support current staff and students.

Long-term, his impact will live on at Purdue through an endowment the Russells have established. The Russell 'I Go to Grow' Transformational Experience Endowment provides support for students to participate in a College of Agriculture Transformational Experience (CATE) or International Programs in Agriculture (IPIA).

“The hope is that this endowment can encourage students to get out of town and out of their comfort zone. It could be to study abroad or to take an internship in Kansas City. It’s a scholarship to encourage students to grow and go,” he said.

As he reflects on his career, Russell is most proud of the ripple effect his mentorship has had.

Donate to the Russell ‘I Go to Grow’ Transformational Experience Endowment

To join in continuing the Russells' legacy by supporting students to grow and go through College of Agriculture Transformational Experience (CATE) or International Programs in Agriculture (IPIA) visit here. Giving to the Russell fund supports the “Victories & Heroes: Your Campaign for Purdue”. Your investment will strengthen Purdue, elevate the university’s reputation, and expand opportunities for current and future Boilermakers in the College of Agriculture.