Student Spotlight: Maddie Powell

For current Purdue and former Tipton High School (THS) student Maddie Powell, nothing is more important than where she came from. “My hometown of Tipton is truly my foundation,” she says. “I have been provided endless opportunities to succeed, and know my opinions and ideas are listened to. My community has been there to support me through the tough times and has celebrated my accomplishments with me.”

Those accomplishments started at THS, where she was active in Key Club, National Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, FFA, Lugar Symposium for Tomorrow’s Leaders, student council, as well as track and cross country teams. Powell was very active in 4-H, acting as a counselor, delegate, ambassador and junior representative during her 10-year career. She also volunteered with the Tipton Main Street Committee and United Way.

Powell’s work ethic and love for her community has extended to Purdue University, where she is a member of the Purdue Honors College. At the Honors College Powell serves as an ambassador, where she can share her love for the Honors College and Purdue with incoming students and their families.

“The leadership roles that I was able to experience in high school, like being student body president at THS, definitely helped me when I began my next chapter at Purdue University,” she says. “I felt confident as I entered a room for an interview and was chosen to be part of the Purdue Honors College. My foundation has given me the ability to continue my growth in interdisciplinary academics, community engagement and leadership development that are so important to me.”

She is studying agricultural education with the goal of becoming an Extension educator.

Powell’s parents, residents of Tipton since 2000 and figures in the community, serve as her number-one inspiration for her work in the community.

“My parents were the first people I watched to openly help those around them and get involved in bettering our world,” she says. “We were taught very early on to be well-rounded, and they were my first teachers on the importance of giving back to your community. Whether it was coaching the youth or organizing an event, my parents taught me the importance of being a servant leader.”

Powell’s father, Steve Powell, grew up in Tipton and was a lifelong Blue Devil, as well as a scholarship football player for the Purdue football team. He enjoyed coaching football and track at Tipton High School, and some of Powell’s fondest memories are working out with him in the high school weight room. The elder Powell was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2016 and passed away in 2018, but his legacy lives on. In the new THS weight room you’ll see a silhouette of Steve Powell, with “Perfect practice makes perfect” written underneath.

Powell’s mother, Shelly Powell, has worked at the Tipton County Public Library for 24 years as the events and marketing manager, sharing her love of libraries with those in the community.

“My mom is the one who taught me the importance of civic engagement and community involvement,” Powell says. “She is involved in organizations like the fair board, Purdue Extension board, ‘Tis the Season, and more. My brothers and I tagged along to meetings and events when we were still in strollers, and volunteered beside our mom as we got older.”

Powell’s accolades are almost too long to list – a tribute to the impact her parents have had on her over the years. Previously she’s been awarded the Lori Tragesser Inspirational Impact Award from the Tipton Community Foundation, and the Leadership Development Accomplishment and Premier Achievement Accomplishment Scholarship from Indiana 4-H. She was a finalist for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, was honored as the 2023 ASEC Outstanding Sophomore at Purdue, and is a Farm Credit Mid-America Scholar.

Powell is a member of Collegiate 4-H, where she’s had the opportunity to advocate for agricultural and youth development on local, state and national levels. She was also chosen as one of five collegiate 4-H members in the U.S. to represent 4-H in Washington, D.C., during National Ag Day.

“You could say that I have been an ambassador for Tipton as long as I could talk,” she says. “My hometown is so special to me. When I come home, my first order of business is walking our downtown area. How lucky are we? I can grab something for my dorm, get a new shirt, have a great lunch and grab some books for school. Tipton cares. It’s simple and perfect.”