By Ashley Johnson
Senior, Public Relations

	Sharon Williams, left, and daughter Jenna

Sitting at graduation, many students feel nervous about leaving Purdue, their home for at least four years. But for others, sitting at graduation signals the end of their life at Purdue as a student, but the start of their career as a Purdue employee.

Department alumnae Sharon Williams, Lauren Reising and Karen Pulliam are three of those people who with the call of a name, switched from Purdue students to Purdue graduates and employees. All three said they were thrilled to be able to stay and serve the school they love.

Williams, the manager of employee relations, likes to joke that working at her alma mater made it easy to find buildings around campus during her first weeks of work about 28 years ago. She has lived in West Lafayette her entire life. Her father also worked for Purdue and has a building named after him: Smalley Center for Housing and Food Services.

Williams never wanted to attend a different university. She also thinks that the community is a great place to raise her children, one of who currently attends Purdue.

"I have been able to visit other parts of the country, but it is always nice to come back home," she said. She hopes that she and her co-workers are keeping Purdue a great place to work.

Pulliam, who is the communication and media communicator for the College of Science, said she hoped that her work at Purdue has some affect on students and other alumni.

"I hope that students will look at me and ask how their life work can affect others in a positive manner," said Pulliam.   

While Pulliam was in school, she worked full time and raised three children as a single mother. It took her 10 years to complete her degree, but she thinks it was worth it. She now tackles such tasks as speech writing for the college's dean and ensuring consistency in the college's communication efforts.

"I believe that a Purdue education has equipped me with the skills necessary to tackle heads-on, what lies ahead — no matter where my career path may lead," said Pulliam.

She believes that it is her turn to help anyone that may be in need of it: Purdue student, non-Purdue student or anyone in the West Lafayette community.

Reising, the director of corporate business development for Purdue University, also stays involved in the West Lafayette community through volunteering at not-for-profit organizations. Her co-workers and supervisors are very supportive because she is representing Purdue through those various roles.

The "new girl in town," Reising just began her position at Purdue in May 2008. Her responsibilities include working with corporations to connect them to the university by means of recruiting, research, scholarships and sponsored programs in return for funding for those areas. She helps companies create visibility on campus and with students so they can successfully recruit students. She said she never truly experienced the incredible amount of energy the campus has as a student.

Although she is still new in her job, she does not want to leave Purdue any time soon. She said she hopes that she will have a long, successful career at Purdue and will be able to give back to her alma mater and its current and future students.