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September 29th, 2026
On Thursday, September 24, Purdue University Archives and Special Collections welcomed members of the Purdue community to a reception celebrating the current exhibition, “The History of Home Economics at Purdue: How It Shaped Our Campus and Our Lives.” Marking 100 years since Purdue established the School of Home Economics, the evening offered guests an opportunity to explore the exhibition, connect with Purdue’s history, and hear firsthand reflections from professionals whose education and careers were shaped by home economics.
The evening began with exhibition viewing and a book sale and signing featuring authors Angie Klink, John Norberg, and Frederick Whitford. Presented with books from the Purdue University Press, the sale featured titles exploring Purdue and Indiana history, including works connected to the people and stories highlighted in the exhibition. Guests had the opportunity to meet the authors and have books signed.
Following remarks from Neal Harmeyer, assistant dean and head of Purdue University Archives and Special Collections, and Katey Watson, exhibition curator, France A. Córdova Archivist, and clinical assistant professor, guests heard from a panel of home economics professionals.
Celebrating a lasting legacy
Moderated by Klink, the panel featured home economics professionals Joyce Miles, Olivia Bennett Wood, and Mary Alice Nebold. The panelists shared memories of their time at Purdue, reflected on their experiences in home economics, and discussed how their education and careers shaped their lives.
For Wood, her path to Purdue began with an unexpected opportunity. She recalled that the position she ultimately accepted had mistakenly been advertised as requiring a Ph.D.—one she did not have and, as a result, would not have applied for. Purdue was looking for someone with recent clinical experience as it developed a new coordinated dietetics program, and Wood’s background made her a strong fit.
“I was the one with the most clinical experience, and I also had a passion for dietetics.”
Hired as an instructor, Wood went on to help develop and secure accreditation for Purdue’s coordinated dietetics program. Her career at Purdue spanned 35 years and included teaching, research, leadership in dietetics, and retirement as a professor.
Miles reflected on how her connection to Purdue began long before her career. “My 4-H agent said, ‘You will come to Purdue,’” she recalled. That early connection grew into a lifelong relationship with the university, including leadership roles and continued involvement with Purdue and the field of family and consumer sciences.
Nebold likewise traced her career from teaching to Purdue faculty and administrative leadership. Reflecting on her decades in the field, she said, “Except for two years, my entire career was spent with home economics.”
Together, their stories illustrated the breadth of home economics and the lasting ways the discipline shaped their professional lives—and, in turn, the lives of the students and communities they served.
From the classroom to communities
The exhibition explores home economics’ lasting impact through photographs, documents, artifacts, and archival materials highlighting the people, programs, and innovations that shaped Purdue and communities beyond.
The panelists also discussed why the field remains relevant today, pointing to connections between home economics and issues such as health, nutrition, financial management, relationships, education, and family well-being.
As Miles reflected, “Our discipline touches education, research, and outreach. I can’t think of a discipline today more relevant.”
Wood highlighted the expanding role of registered dietitians, including opportunities in sports nutrition, while the panel reflected on the continued importance of applying research and education to the everyday lives of individuals, families, and communities.
A legacy that continues
Although Purdue’s School of Home Economics is no longer a standalone academic unit, its influence remains visible across the university. Programs that developed within the school continue through the College of Health and Human Sciences and the College of Liberal Arts, while organizations and initiatives with roots in home economics continue to serve students and communities.
“The History of Home Economics at Purdue: How It Shaped Our Campus and Our Lives” remains on view through December 11, 2026, Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM, at the Virginia Kelly Karnes Archives and Special Collections Research Center on the fourth floor of the HSSE Library in Stewart Center.
Filed under: Archives and Special Collections, general, News and Announcements