Fireside Chat: Don & Liz Thompson
Channel: Purdue Engineering
Date: 18/03/2022

On March 16, 2022, Dean Mung Chiang hosted a Fireside Chat with alumni Don and Liz Thompson on "Giving back and creating opportunities." This virtual chat included a panel discussion about programs established through a gift from this Chicago-based couple, Don (Purdue Trustee and BSEE ’84) and Liz (BSEE ’85) Thompson. 

In 2018, the Thompsons created a $1M endowment to support scholarships and the Minority Engineering Program (MEP). In the spirit of combining philanthropy with entrepreneurship, Don (CEO of McDonald’s from 2012-2015) and Liz formed Cleveland Avenue, which invests in innovative food, beverage, and restaurant concepts and emerging brands. The Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education (The CAFÉ) funds organizations dedicated to student success, including Purdue’s Engineering Academic Boot Camp and summer engineering workshops through MEP. 

Endowment information: https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2018/Q2/don-and-liz-thompson-provide-1m-to-purdue-minority-engineering-program.html

SUBSCRIBE TO PURDUE ENGINEERING:  http://bit.ly/subscribe-engr-youtube

For the latest Engineering news, visit: http://engineering.purdue.edu/News
Facebook: https://facebook.com/PurdueEngineering
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PurdueEngineers
Instagram: https://instagram.com/PurdueEngineers
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/school/purdue-engineering/

Contact/Media Requests: purdueengineeringvideo@gmail.com

The largest engineering college ever in the top 5, Purdue Engineering anchors Purdue University as the “Cradle of Astronauts,” from College alumni Neil Armstrong to the first female commercial astronaut. Other trailblazers include Amelia Earhart, 7 National Medal of Technology and Innovation recipients, and 9 National Academy of Inventors Fellows. Our agricultural and biological engineering programs ranked No. 1 for more than a decade, and the College houses the world’s largest academic propulsion lab and the nation’s first all-digital nuclear reactor.

#purdue #purdueengineering #engineering