In 1990, Tarrus Richardson (M’91) became the first black Purdue student body president, with 70 percent of the vote. He is an alumnus of the Dr. Cornell Bell Business Opportunity Program. After Richardson received his bachelor of science in accounting from Purdue, he earned his MBA from from Harvard Business School in 1996. 

Currently Richardson serves as the CEO of IMB Development Corporation, a business built on acquisition of best in class business with a focus on minority and women business initiatives and solutions. Before IMB, Richardson served as CEO, founder, or lead director of: Chung’s Foods, ICV Partners, The Hilsinger Company, and others. He is the founder of the Council of Urban Professionals, and past president of the Purdue Black Alumni Organization.

Richardson was the lead funder of two documentaries: BlackPurdue and Reginald Lewis — the Making of a Billion Dollar Empire. He was also a Robert Toigo Fellow during his time at Harvard Business School.

The Purdue Black Alumni Organization (PBAO) Presidential Leadership Scholarship was created in 2009 in honor of Richardson, a former PBAO president. It is designed to raise the level of educational attainment at Purdue University by those of African American descent. The scholarship is awarded to seniors in high school who are accepted to Purdue University for the upcoming fall semester. The award is administered by The Community Foundation of Greater Lafayette.