The Executive Forum, an undergraduate class offered by the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business, just completed its fiftieth year at Purdue. The class brings guest speakers to campus each week to discuss their careers and offer wisdom to students from all schools on campus.
With a rich history that dates back to its inception as “Executives in the Classroom,” the Forum provides access to speakers during the class period from 11:30-12:20 on Fridays in Krannert Auditorium, as well as more intimate conversations during breakfast and lunch. Henry Sklar, a senior marketing major from Munster, Indiana, says the class has “helped me develop an expanded mindset for life after Purdue.”
The golden anniversary of the Executive Forum brought the usual slate of outstanding speakers, including spring appearances from Wabash CEO Brent Yeagy, Big Ten Network Senior VP Michael Calderon, and Jane Brock-Wilson, a senior adviser with Berkshire Partners.
Purdue Trustees Gary Lehman and Shawn Taylor spoke in the spring semester, explaining the role of the trustees in running the university, and board chair Mike Berghoff and Mike Klipsch made an appearance in the fall. The roster also included former Procter & Gamble CEO Robert McDonald, Ford executive Rochelle Dorn-Hayes, and Pollen President Christian Piller.
Andrea Hatch, director of alumni relations at the Daniels School, is the instructor for the course. She’s impressed by both the quality of speakers and students that the Executive Forum entails.
“It is an amazing roster of speakers that we’re able to bring to campus each semester to provide our students with advice they can utilize throughout their careers,” Hatch says. “I’m equally proud of the caliber of students who take the course. You can tell how engaged they are by the depth of their questions, and I believe the speakers get as much out of the experience as the students.
“It was a thrill to be a part of the anniversary celebration, and we look forward to providing many more years of great classroom experiences.”
The Executive Forum is open to the public as space permits. Spring 2024 speakers include Pizza Hut U.S. President David Graves, former Lowe’s Chief Marketing Officer Jocelyn Wong, and Rich Freeland, retired president and COO of Cummins.
