Recently, Purdue University announced it will name its civil engineering building for alumnus and donor Delon Hampton and his mother, Elizabeth Hampton.

Delon, who served as chair of the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) Business Member Board of Governors (2007-2008), was the 2009 recipient of the Outstanding Public Transportation Business Member Award. The award is given to an APTA public transportation business member who has made outstanding contributions to the public transportation industry. 

He is also the founder of Delon Hampton & Associates, a top design firm specializing in civil, structural and environmental engineering; construction; and program management and planning services. He was a civil engineering assistant professor at Kansas State University and a professor at Howard University. While on leave from Kansas State University, he served for a year as head of soil dynamics research at the University of New Mexico's Eric H. Wang Research Facility in Albuquerque.

Delon has also received numerous awards, including the Edmund Friedman Professional Recognition Award and James Laurie Prize from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Distinguished Engineer Award from the National Society of Black Engineers. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the National Academy of Engineering, as well as past president of ASCE. During his tenure, he proposed the creation of ASCE's Outstanding Projects and Leaders Award, which was approved by the board and has been given each year since 2000.

As a long-time colleague and friend, I’d like congratulate Delon and his family on this incredible achievement. He has made a true impact in the public transportation industry and has truly touched the lives of many, many people throughout his lifetime.

In case you missed it...

Read our METRO blog, "'Rock & Roll' for bus operators" here.