Maj. Gen. Stephen G. Purdy Jr., B.S.E. ’93, M.S.C.S. ’95
- Alumnus of the Year
The Alumnus of the Year honor is awarded to a graduate who has achieved distinction through exceptional contributions to our international, national, state or community welfare. This year’s Baylor Alumnus of the Year is Maj. Gen. Stephen G. Purdy Jr., B.S.E. ’93, M.S.C.S. ’95, of Arlington, Virginia, Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration, Washington, D.C.
Purdy entered the Air Force as a Distinguished Graduate of Baylor’s Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) in 1993. Since then, he has served with distinction in a variety of engineering, acquisition and policy capacities, including assignments at the Air Force Laboratory, Pentagon, Congress, Space and Missile Systems Center and Headquarters United States Space Force.
As Military Deputy, Purdy is responsible for research and development worth more than $24 billion annually, which aligns with his dedication to ensuring the next generation of Air and Space Force officers are ready to face the challenges of military service in today’s world. In addition to crafting program strategies and options for representing Department of the Air Force positions to the office of the Secretary of Defense, Congress and the White House, Purdy is actively involved in mentoring future officers, including serving as an Air/Space Force mentor to Baylor University and Air Force ROTC Detachment 810. He also serves as the Space Force University Partnership Program Champion for the University of Texas at Austin.
