Generations of Boilermakers, decades of giving back

Purdue and The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis are both essential to the Dodson family’s story

Purdue is proud to sponsor The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis during its centennial anniversary — together, we celebrate 100 years of joy, wonder and curiosity. 

For the past 20 years, Jim and Dori Dodson have had at least one family member at Purdue each semester.  

It started with their eldest son, Patrick, in 2005. All four of their children plus nieces and nephews have passed the baton since. Soon, their grandchildren could continue the legacy.  

“Purdue has played an important part since the beginning,” Jim says. 

Jim and Dori both graduated from the university with business degrees in 1983. They met while volunteering for a club during their freshman year and have been giving back ever since.  

“I always tell people, ‘The more you give, the more you get,’” Dori says. “My advice is to be involved.” 

With decades of experience volunteering in the Indianapolis community, the Dodsons inspire others to work hard and help their neighbors. They’ve worked with leading organizations like The Children’s Museum and the 500 Festival, started a foundation and raised a family full of Boilermakers.

“We both believe that the giver always receives more than the recipient of a gift,” Jim says.

Lending a hand at the world’s largest children’s museum 

Raised in homes that prioritized service, both Jim and Dori were encouraged to pitch in from an early age. For Dori, one of the most influential volunteering opportunities was at The Children’s Museum.

2025 marks the museum’s 100th anniversary. Without the help of volunteers, the past century wouldn’t have been possible — and they’re the driving force behind what the next 100 years look like at the institution. Dori grew up watching her mother, Rosie Semler, work with the museum, and eventually she became president of The Children’s Museum Guild. The Guild is an all-volunteer organization that’s supported efforts since 1933.  

Every year, the Guild presents the museum’s biggest fundraiser: its haunted house. Specially designed to offer spooky surprises for visitors of all ages (including well-lit areas and milder scares for young kids), the haunted house takes a village to put together. Semler was the haunted house head witch, and Dori eventually took on the same role. Jim served on the museum’s board of trustees and has also done his fair share of haunting at the fundraiser.  

“One of the reasons we love the museum is because of the friends we’ve met volunteering,” Jim says. “You connect with other people who want to make sure it’s always a resource for the community.” The museum is ever evolving. Dori introduced an exhibit in the Playscape area. Another Guild member suggested a collaboration with artist Dale Chihuly that resulted in the museum’s iconic glass sculptures. Since their daughter has joined the Guild and continued their legacy, they’re still close to the collaborative effort required to keep everything going.

So many people work together to bring the best exhibits to Indianapolis.

Dori Dodson

BS marketing ’83 

As much as the Dodsons enjoy volunteering at the museum, they also enjoy engaging with its contents. Every year, they take their children and grandchildren to the WinterFaire, where they race down slides and see different exhibits. “So many people work together to bring the best exhibits to Indianapolis,” Dori says. “Everyone in this area has a stake in it, from scientists to sports teams.”  

One of the family’s contributions is kept safe in the museum’s collection of over 130,000 artifacts. Jim’s aunt gave a hobby horse that once belonged to his great-grandfather. It’s now part of the museum. “They take care of things,” Jim says. “The museum is an amazing place to go.”

Contributing to the Indianapolis community

Around Indiana’s capital city, Jim and Dori have built a life they love. They’re close to extended family — Dori is from Indianapolis and Jim is from Westfield. Their local network is made up of relatives, friends and colleagues from their many pursuits.  

Jim is the CEO of locally based The Dodson Group Inc. and Spendbridge, and Dori is celebrating 27 years teaching preschool and helping their church. Following lifelong passions for building businesses and giving back, Jim started the Sycamore Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps other nonprofits succeed.  

Since 1992, the Sycamore Foundation has set the stage for other volunteers to thrive. For the first 20 years, it hosted a golf tournament where 10 nonprofits could register volunteers to raise money. The Sycamore Foundation covered the golf course, meals and event logistics, and the nonprofits only had to find participants. After outgrowing the golf model, it switched to a walking event, “Walking for Dreams.” This year, over 1,000 walkers represented 20 nonprofits and raised almost $1 million.

In addition to serving on the museum’s board, Jim has been director of the 500 Festival, Indiana Philanthropy Alliance and Catholic Community Foundation, and board chair of the Central Indiana Police Foundation, Indianapolis Young Life, Day Spring Homeless Shelter and Bishop Chatard High School. He was selected as the recipient of the Michael Carroll Award from the Indiana Business Journal in 2009. His momentum started at a young age. When he graduated from Purdue, he received the G.A. Ross Award, given annually to an outstanding graduate. 

When they’re not busy in Indianapolis, the Dodsons love to visit another important place in their story — West Lafayette.

Coming back to Purdue

Both say that Purdue was their first choice for college. Since Dori’s parents and grandfather were alumni, it was all she knew. “When you start going to football games at age 5, you never look anywhere else,” she says. “You feel comfortable, and you feel at home.”

During their undergraduate years, they spent a lot of time together between their shared business classes, participation in the Greek community and membership in organizations like Omicron Delta Kappa and Mortar Board. They started dating their senior year.

Now they return to campus for tailgates and to see their family forming its own memories at the university. It’s a legacy wrapped up in old gold and black and one that continues to instill the importance of lending a hand.

“Volunteering is ingrained in us,” Dori says. “Give back and make places even better than how you found them.”