Endowments for Engineering in Honor of Mr. Brooke E. Tuttle

by Adam Frazier
March 20, 2012

Engineering students enrolled in post-secondary educational programs in Columbus will benefit from three endowed scholarships established in recognition of the late Mr. Brooke E. Tuttle.

The Community Education Coalition (CEC) is responsible for raising the funds that will benefit students at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC), Ivy Tech Community College, and the Purdue University College of Technology (PCoT) at Columbus. Each institution will receive $21,470.

A graduate of Indiana University’s MBA program, Tuttle served as an executive at Cummins Inc. for nearly 30 years. Active in the Columbus community, he served as president of the Columbus Economic Development Board.

In addition to numerous  professional accomplishments, honors, and awards, Tuttle shared his knowledge with students as an adjunct faculty member at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC) and Ivy Tech Community College. He taught and mentored students at both institutions for 20 years.

  • The Brooke E. Tuttle Scholarship in Mechanical Engineering at IUPUC will be available beginning in the spring of 2013. Scholarships will be awarded to Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) students who have a minimum 3.0 GPA. The scholarship will be renewable for four years if the GPA is maintained. The number, amount, and recipients of the scholarship will be determined by IUPUC’s scholarship committee.

  • The Brooke E. Tuttle Endowed Scholarship Fund at Ivy Tech Community College will be available beginning fall of 2012 and was established to recruit and retain students attending Ivy Institute of Technology or students pursuing an Associate Degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) in Regional 10 (Columbus and Franklin). Students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and may reapply annually if they continue to meet required criteria. Up to four (4) $500 scholarships will be awarded.

  • The Brooke E. Tuttle Endowed Scholarship Fund at PCoT will be for Indiana students majoring in mechanical engineering technology (MET). The first award will be made for the fall of 2012. About four (4) $1,000 awards are expected.

“Mr. Tuttle had an extremely astute understanding of global business and engineering operations. His leadership and forward-thinking approach to economic development will benefit this region for many years,” noted Marwan Wafa, vice chancellor and dean of IUPUC. “The scholarships are a very fitting tribute for a man who was committed to ensuring the prosperity of our community.”

“The Community Education Coalition is honored to be part of the establishment of the Brooke E. Tuttle scholarships at IUPUC, Ivy Tech Community College, and Purdue College of Technology. Brooke did so much for our community and served faithfully to develop its economy. We thank all of his many business and personal colleagues who were so generous in their giving to pay tribute to a wonderful community citizen. He was also a friend to so many of us. We are truly grateful for having known and worked with Brooke,” commented John Burnett, chief executive officer of the Community Education Coalition.  

“For years, Ivy Tech students were the beneficiaries of the wealth of experience and knowledge that Brooke Tuttle brought into the classroom,” reported John Hogan, chancellor of Ivy Tech’s Columbus campus. “Brooke will continue to touch the lives of our students through this scholarship so aptly named in his honor.”

“Mr. Tuttle’s generous donation has been matched by the Community Education Coalition. Purdue University then matched both of those donations to provide an $80,000 endowment for Indiana residents majoring in mechanical engineering technology at Purdue College of Technology in Columbus. This gift plus the matching dollars more than doubles our previous scholarship offerings and is a tremendous boost as Purdue College of Technology in Columbus strives to meet the growing demand for skilled labor in our region,” said Joe Fuehne, director and associate professor of the mechanical engineering technology program.

For more information, contact Stacy Zearing, IUPUC's director of development, at 812.314.8624.