Dennis Zimmerman

B.S. 1965
Retired, Distinguished Research Fellow, Eli Lilly and Company

I first showed talent and interest in chemistry at Elkhart High School. I needed to go to college in the state at an affordable university and Purdue was clearly the right choice.

When I arrived at Purdue, I still can clearly remember my first freshman class taking advanced chemistry. I believe the instructor was Professor Robert Benkeser. The class was large, and I came away so excited. From that time on it was just one good teacher after another. That was until I took a class given by Professor Harry Morrison. What a class! With his support I went on to Penn State University and then to a career at Eli Lilly and Company.

The challenges Purdue gave me provided me with the confidence to know I had the talent to be successful. I learned that I really enjoyed chemistry and was given the knowledge to pursue it at a high level.

Purdue is a high-quality university where courses were at the forefront and instruction was superb. Professors were demanding and motivated learning, especially Professor Harry Morrison who took an interest in my studies and pointed me in a direction that impacted my career and life forever!