Co-op Program impact spans generations
Deeply woven in Purdue University’s history are generational connections.
The Evans family established their link to the university through continued involvement with the Purdue Cooperative Education (Co-op) Program, which has provided student work-integrated learning opportunities for over 70 years.
Though Daniel Evans Sr. did not attend college, he encouraged eldest son Daniel Jr. to gain experience while going to school. At Purdue, Daniel Jr. connected with the Co-op Program to fulfill his dad’s request, completing two distinct co-ops during his time in college.
That experience inspired Christopher Evans, Daniel Jr.’s younger brother, to pursue the same path.
And, ultimately, Christopher’s daughter, Larissa, a current chemical engineering major.
Daniel Jr.’s first co-op was with Johnson & Johnson at a disposable baby diaper manufacturing plant in Illinois, where he served as a co-op engineer to help design a lubrication maintenance program for the line. It was there that he was first introduced to automation and controls. The second co-op was with Midwest Steel Cold Rolling and Plating Mill in Portage, Indiana, where his father worked. The mill produced coils of plated steel, and Daniel Jr. worked as a co-op engineer in the maintenance department.
“Our father was extremely talented in the trades, creating and fabricating designs and working with me — and then Chris — to restore classic autos. He taught us how to break projects into manageable steps and accomplish more than we thought we could,” Daniel Jr. (BSME ’84) said. “He was delighted to see us excel in school.”
After 40 years in the industry — he’s currently chief technology officer at Palomar Technologies (formerly Hughes Aircraft) in Carlsbad, California — Daniel Jr. still holds a deep passion for working with robotics and controls, which was ignited by his co-op. Much like how the program made a significant impact on his career, Daniel Jr.’s success significantly influenced the family's desire to explore career opportunities early on through the Co-op Program.
“I always looked up to my brother, so doing the program made me feel good to follow in his footsteps,” Christopher Evans said. “When I was at Purdue, being a Co-op (student) was an elite achievement. Purdue made it easy for students and employers to connect, and there was a true commitment between student and employer to see the relationship through.”
Christopher (BSME ’93) credits the program for helping shape him into the engineer he is, 30 years later. His Co-op experience included five rotations with Honeywell Aerospace Technologies (formerly AlliedSignal, then Bendix Engine Controls). Christopher now serves as senior advanced manufacturing engineering manager at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies in South Bend, Indiana. With a sense of pride to give back to the program, Christopher served as a co-op coordinator throughout his career in addition to his engineering role, where he interacted with and established 25 co-ops over 10 years.
“What I liked about the program was the willingness of leadership to create new rotational assignments based on students’ interests,” Christopher said. “We, as students, created three new rotational opportunities because we had an interest in those areas: prototype machine shop, sciences (structures, thermal and system modeling) and manufacturing engineering (in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, the production site).”
Throughout his career, Christopher has rotated through leadership roles and led a few departments he used to be a co-op in, such as Engineering Sciences, Engineering Test Services, Advanced Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Engineering.
“My true passion is working with teams at that product development level, doing the work and helping the team learn their strengths and interests while advancing some cool technology,” Christopher said. “It truly takes a team of varying skill sets to achieve something great, and my Co-op experience as a co-op student and a co-op coordinator paved my way to appreciating that.”
Christopher’s praise for the program was influential when daughter Larissa enrolled at Purdue. She made an inaugural impact by serving as the first co-op student for Air Products in its Houston location.
Set to graduate in fall 2027, Larissa will complete back-to-back rotations as a process controls engineer for the company.
“When I first was interested in Purdue as my future college, I wanted to become an environmental scientist. My dad, who went to Purdue for mechanical engineering, introduced the idea of trying environmental engineering instead because he knew me as a more hands-on, problem-solving type of person and thought it would be a good fit,” she said. “I went through my first year of engineering and found I was really interested in chemical engineering. My dad, being the mentor he is, was really encouraging me to go to as many career fairs as possible and use the resources Purdue was providing.
“The more I learned about the Co-op Program, the more enticing it was. I liked the idea of being able to get real-world, hands-on experience with a company in three to five different roles. It was comforting knowing I’d be better prepared when I graduated and be able to actually experience what being a chemical engineer was like. “
Larissa initially was worried about the program impacting her graduation date, but she again was reminded by her dad’s experience. Growing up, she met some of his friends from college, several of whom he met through Co-op rotations. People he called his “best friends and study buddies.”
Christopher’s experience helped assuage Larissa’s fears about the program, and she knew that beyond the technical and professional skills, the program offered lifelong memorable experiences to foster connections with peers of similar interests.
“I think it is an amazing opportunity, one that I have grown to learn is extraordinary at Purdue, and it gives you that special connection with industry that you might not get from a shorter internship,” she said. “Being able to grow and learn at my own pace with the support of the company and my school has been invaluable and I truly think it has made me a better student, engineer and person. I feel better prepared to continue my classes and more assured that when I go to graduate, I will know what to do with my career. My family has really been an amazing example to me, and I couldn’t be more grateful to be a part of that and hopefully pass it down to the next future Boilermaker.”