Purdue University

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Purdue University
The official seal of Purdue University
Established:	May 6, 1869
Type:	Public Land-Grant Space-Grant
Endowment:	$1.787 billion[2]
President:	France A. Córdova
Provost:	Randy Woodson
Faculty:	6,614
Students:	39,228
Undergraduates:	31,290
Postgraduates:	7,938
Location:	West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S.
Campus:	Large town: 2,474 acres (9.336 km²) plus 15,108 acres (60.084 km²) for agricultural and industrial research[4]
Athletics:	18 Division I / IA NCAA teams
Colors:	Old Gold and Black         [5]
Nickname:	Boilermakers
Mascot:	Boilermaker Special, Purdue Pete
Affiliations:	Purdue University System
Website:	www.purdue.edu
Logo is a trademark of Purdue University

Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six campuses within the Purdue University System.^[1] Purdue currently ranks 66^th among America's Best 100 Colleges according to U.S. News & World Report. Purdue also makes the list of the Top 100 Global Universities. Though Purdue offers many diverse majors, it is perhaps best known for the Purdue University College of Engineering. With its highly competitive engineering curriculum and its leading programs in aviation and aerospace, Purdue is often regarded as one of the top technology schools in the world. The university was responsible for developing several inovations, such as the Wiki, and produced pioneers of robotics and remote control technology .^[2]

Purdue has claimed many notable accomplishments since its founding. It was the first university globally to have ever offered an aeronautics program. Currently, the university's School of Aeronautics and Astronautics is ranked 4th within the United States. The school has also secured a #1 ranking for being recruited the most by employers of the aerospace and defense industries in America.^[3] Purdue's Krannert School of Management is another highly regarded school at the university, ranked as one of the best management schools in the country according to U.S. News & World Report.^[4] Politically, Purdue University has been connected to U.S President Benjamin Harrison, who served on Purdue's board of trustees from July 1895 to March 1901.

Purdue University was founded on May 6, 1869 as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and money from Lafayette businessman John Purdue to establish a college of science, technology, and agriculture in his name.^[5] The first classes were held on September 16, 1874, with three buildings, six instructors, and 39 students.^[5] Today, Purdue enrolls the largest student body of any university in Indiana and the largest international student population of any public university in the United States.^[6] The university's Discovery Park and Purdue Research Park are home to hundreds of medical, biotechnology, and nanotechnology laboratories and companies.

Purdue offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in over 200 major areas of study. The university has been influential in America's history of aviation, having established the first college credit offered in flight training, the first four-year bachelor's degree in aviation, and the first university airport (Purdue University Airport). In the mid-20th century, Purdue's aviation program expanded to encompass advanced spaceflight technology giving rise to Purdue's nickname, Cradle of Astronauts.^[7] Twenty-two of Purdue's graduates are astronauts, including Neil Armstrong, Eugene Cernan, and Gus Grissom.^[8]

Contents 1 History 1.1 Founding and early years 1.2 The 20th century - Aviation and Aeronautics 2 Campus 2.1 Purdue Mall 2.2 Bell Tower 2.3 Water Sculpture Fountain 2.4 Memorial Mall 2.5 Memorial Gymnasium/Felix Haas Hall 2.6 University Hall 2.7 Cary Quadrangle 2.8 Windsor Residence Halls 2.9 Edward C. Elliott Hall of Music 2.10 Slayter Center of Performing Arts 2.11 Mackey Arena 2.12 Ross-Ade Stadium 3 Academics 3.1 Overview 3.2 Faculty 3.3 Research 4 Administration 4.1 Presidents 5 Student life 5.1 Student body 5.2 Housing 5.3 Media 5.4 Athletics 6 Traditions and legends 6.1 Boilermakers 6.2 Mascots, logos, and colors 7 University Seal 7.1 School songs 7.2 Fountain runs 7.3 Grand Prix 7.4 Old Oaken Bucket 8 Alumni/alumnae 8.1 Some of Purdue's Astronauts 9 See also 10 Notes 11 References 12 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Founding and early years

In 1865, the Indiana General Assembly took advantage of the Morrill Act, and began plans to establish an institution with a strong focus on engineering. John Purdue, a Lafayette business leader and philanthropist (buried at Purdue), sought to help establish a "land grant" college in Indiana. The state of Indiana received a gift of $150,000 from John Purdue, along with $50,000 from Tippecanoe County, and 150 acres (0.6 km²) of land from Lafayette residents in support of the project. On May 6, 1869, it was decided that the college would be founded near the city of Lafayette and legislators established the institution as Purdue University, in the name of the institution’s principal benefactor.^[5]

Classes first began at Purdue on September 16, 1874 with three buildings, six instructors, and 39 students. Purdue issued its first degree, a Bachelor of Science in chemistry, in 1875. The first female students were admitted to the university in the fall of the same year.^[9] By Purdue's third president, Emerson E. White, a vision was set forth for Purdue University to be a leader within its field, not a follower. ^[10]

[edit] The 20th century - Aviation and Aeronautics

Purdue University is well known for its diverse majors in aerospace. It is one of the highest rated aeronautical universities in the world,^[11] even ranking up with the United States Air Force Academy, a military-backed institution. Purdue was the first university in America to award a four-year bachelor's degree in aviation.^[12] Purdue is also recognized today as one of the top ranked flight schools in the nation.^[13]

J. Clifford Turpin, from the class of 1908, was the first Purdue graduate to become an aviator, and received flight instruction from Orville Wright.^[14] In 1919 George W. Haskins became the first alumnus to land an aircraft on campus.

In 1930 Purdue became the first university in the country to offer college credit for flight training, and later became the first university to open its own airport, the Purdue University Airport. Famed aviator Amelia Earhart came to Purdue in 1935 and served as a "Counselor on Careers for Women," a staff position she held until her disappearance in 1937.^[15] Purdue played a meaningful role in Earhart's ill-fated "Flying Laboratory" project, providing funds for the Lockheed L-10 Electra aircraft she intended to fly around the world. Purdue's libraries maintain an extensive Earhart collection, which is still studied today by those seeking to solve the mystery of her disappearance.^[16] Purdue later named a residence hall in her honor, which is lined with Earhart pictures and articles.

Today, Purdue University's Aviation Flight Technology Program is one of the best nationwide.^[17] Annually, only 60 students are admitted into this exclusive and selective program. No other University has a corporate flight department built into the University to provide private aircraft for faculty and staff. Every aviation flight student at Purdue has the opportunity to pilot one of the 3 corporate aircraft Purdue has flying VIPs and other dignitaries around the nation.

Over the past ten years, Purdue’s School of Aeronautics and Astronautics has awarded more aerospace engineering degrees than any other institution in the country, issuing 6% of all undergraduate degrees and 7% of all Ph.D. degrees. These alumni have led significant advances in research and development of aerospace technology, headed major corporations and government agencies, and have established an amazing record for exploration of space.^[18]

[edit] Campus

[edit] Purdue Mall

The Purdue Mall is the main, central quad area of Purdue University. The three most prominent features of the Purdue Mall are the Purdue Bell Tower, the Water Sculpture Fountain, and the Frederick L. Hovde Hall of Administration.

[edit] Bell Tower

The Purdue Bell Tower was constructed in 1995, at Purdue University, through a gift from the class of 1948. It is considered an icon of the university and can be found on many Purdue logos and those of the cities of West Lafayette, Indiana and Lafayette, Indiana.

The current Bell Tower's inspiration comes from the bell tower that was part of the old Heavilon Hall, demolished in 1956. The new tower stands 160 feet (49 m) tall, and like the original, has a clock on each of four faces. The bells from the original tower hang at the top of the current tower, and a computerized carillon now marks every half hour and also plays Purdue's fight songs and the alma mater. There is also a time capsule located at the base of the tower that is to be opened in 2095.^[19]

[edit] Water Sculpture Fountain

The Water Sculpture Fountain is centrally located in the Purdue Mall at Purdue University. Designed by Robert Youngman, the fountain was a gift from the class of 1939. The fountain was dedicated in 1989. The fountain stands 38 feet (12 m) tall and is made of 228 tons of concrete. It jets 588 gallons of water per minute into the air. Colored lights illuminate the water during the evening. Originally built with an open jet shooting straight up into the air, students soon made the tradition of running through the fountain on warm days.

[edit] Memorial Mall

The Purdue Memorial Mall is located south of the Purdue Mall and is generally considered the older part of campus. A popular meeting place for students, the Memorial Mall contains the Purdue Memorial Union, Stewart Student Center, University Hall (the oldest building on campus), and John Purdue's gravesite.

[edit] Memorial Gymnasium/Felix Haas Hall

The Memorial Gymnasium (now named Felix Haas Hall) was constructed in 1909 in memory of the 17 Purdue University football players, coaches, alumni, and fans who perished in the Purdue Wreck railroad accident on October 31, 1903. In 1985 the building was renovated with offices and classrooms for the Computer Science department. In 2006, the building was renamed in honor of Felix Haas. A memorial plaque remains affixed to the exterior of the building in honor of those who died in 1903. The building is now shared by the Computer Science and Statistics departments.

[edit] University Hall

University Hall is the only building remaining from the original six-building campus. Construction began in 1871, where the building was known as "The Main Building". The building was dedicated in 1877 and the project cost $35,000 to complete. University Hall originally housed the office of the president, a chapel, and classrooms, but was remodeled in 1961 to house only the department of history. At the request of John Purdue, he was buried in the Memorial Mall, directly across from the main entrance of University Hall.

[edit] Cary Quadrangle

First known as Cary Hall, Cary Quadrangle opened in 1928 as a men's dormitory.^[20] Cary Quadrangle now has six buildings (southeast, southwest, east, west, northeast, and northwest), surrounding the open courtyard, known as Spitzer Court. In addition, the south/southeast building contains the Cary Knight Spot Grill.^[21]

Considered the "flagship" of Purdue University residences, Cary Quadrangle is still one of the largest all-male housing units in the country.^[20] In 2000, Cary Quadrangle began a $43.5 Million renovation plan.

Cary Quad was the location of the annual Nude Olympics at Purdue. The tradition died down after the University began threatening with expulsion any students who ran. Contestants ran laps around the courtyard of Cary nude on one of the coldest nights of the year; the person that endured the cold the longest was declared the winner.^[22]

[edit] Windsor Residence Halls

Consisting of five individual buildings (Duhme, Shealy, Wood, Warren and Vawter), Windsor Halls is the oldest all-women's residence hall complex at Purdue. Each individual building is designed so that each room of every hall would receive sunlight at some point in the day. There is also a student-accessible tunnel that connects Duhme, Shealy, Wood, Warren and Vawter.^[23]

• Duhme Hall, originally 'South Hall,' was opened in 1934 and named after Ophelia Duhme.
• Shealy Hall, originally 'North Hall,' was opened in 1937 and named after Frances Shealy.
• Wood Hall was opened in 1939 and named after Elizabeth Wood.
• Warren Hall, originally 'D Hall,' was opened in 1951 and named after Martha Warren.
• Vawter Hall, originally 'E Hall,' was also opened in 1951, and is named after Everette Vawter.

[edit] Edward C. Elliott Hall of Music

The Edward C. Elliott Hall of Music is located on the Purdue University campus in West Lafayette, Indiana. It has a seating capacity of 6,025 and is one of the largest proscenium theaters in the world. The facility is named after Edward C. Elliott (1874-1960), who served as President of Purdue University from 1922-1945.^[24]

The Pudue Concert Committee (PCC) often elects and invites various big name entertainment. Purdue students and faculity are able to purchase tickets a day before the tickets are offered to the general public. They also receive a student and faculity discount. The auditorium offers seating on a main level and on dual balconies.

[edit] Slayter Center of Performing Arts

The Slayter Center of Performing Arts is an outdoor concert band shell located on the main campus of Purdue University, completed in 1964 and dedicated May 1, 1965. The facility was a gift from Games Slayter and his wife Marie.

The natural amphitheater created by "Slayter Hill" can hold an estimated 20,000 people. Architect Joseph Baker used Stonehenge in England as a basis for the concept of Slayter Center. The 200-ton concrete roof is suspended from a tall steel tripod by stainless steel cables. The stage can seat a 100+ player orchestra. Below the stage are a rehearsal room, dressing rooms and storage facilities. "Slayter Hill" is also more popularly used in the winter time as a large sledding hill for students when it snows.

[edit] Mackey Arena

Mackey Arena is a 14,123-seat multi-purpose arena in West Lafayette, Indiana. The arena opened in 1967. It is home to the Purdue Boilermakers basketball team. It is named after Purdue alumnus and long time athletic director Guy "Red" Mackey.^[25]

[edit] Ross-Ade Stadium

Ross-Ade Stadium is a stadium primarily used for American football, and is the home field of the Purdue Boilermakers. The stadium is named for David E. Ross and George Ade, the principal benefactors. Ross-Ade Stadium opened on November 22, 1924 with a seating capacity of 13,500 and standing room for an additional 5,000 people. A series of additions and renovations pushed the seating capacity to 70,000. In 2001 Purdue began a massive $70 million dollar renovation, which led to a reduced seating capacity of 62,500.^[26] But for some reason Ross Ade has never been fitted with actual lights, a set of temporary lights is used for all night games.

[edit] Academics

[edit] Overview

Purdue offers more than 200 options for major areas of study at the West Lafayette campus alone, and a variety of options for minors.^[27] Purdue is organized into eight colleges and schools contained within larger colleges; the two exceptions are the Krannert School of Management and the School of Veterinary Medicine.^[28] These two academic units retained their "school" status during a university-wide renaming policy in 2004 and 2005 in deference to national professional school naming conventions.^[29]

Colleges of Purdue University

College of Agriculture 1869

College of Consumer and Family Sciences 1905

College of Education 1908

College of Engineering 1876

College of Liberal Arts 1953

College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Health Sciences 1979

College of Science 1907

College of Technology 1964

Engineering Schools of Purdue University

School of Aeronautics and Astronautics	Agricultural and Biological Engineering	Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering	School of Chemical Engineering	School of Civil Engineering	School of Electrical and Computer Engineering
School of Engineering Education	School of Industrial Engineering	School of Materials Engineering	School of Mechanical Engineering	School of Nuclear Engineering	Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering

Other Schools of Purdue University

Krannert School of Management*

School of Consumer and Family Sciences

School of Health Sciences

School of Nursing

School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

School of Veterinary Medicine*

An * indicates a school existing independently of a larger college.

[edit] Faculty

Purdue employs world renowned faculty and research members. The original faculty of six in 1874 has grown to 2,563 tenure and tenure-track faculty in the Purdue Statewide System by Fall 2007 totals. The number of faculty and staff members system-wide is 18,872.^[30] The current faculty includes scholars such as Shreeram Shankar Abhyankar - known for his contributions to singularity theory, Arden L. Bement Jr. - Director of the National Science Foundation, R. Graham Cooks, Joseph Francisco, Douglas Comer, Louis de Branges de Bourcia who proved the Bieberbach conjecture, Leslie A. Geddes, Ei-ichi Negishi, Victor Raskin, Michael Rossmann who mapped human common cold virus, and Leah Jamieson.^[31]

Purdue's tenured faculty comprises sixty Academic Deans, Associate Deans, and Assistant Deans; 63 Academic Department Heads; 753 Professors; 547 Associate Professors and 447 Assistant Professors. Purdue employs 892 non-tenure-track faculty, Lecturers, and Postdoctorals at its West Lafayette campus. Purdue employs another 691 tenured and 1,021 Non-Tenure Track Faculty, Lecturers, and Postdoctorals at its Regional Campuses and Statewide Technology.^[32]

[edit] Research

The University expended $472.7 million in support of research system-wide in 2006–07, using funds received from the state and federal governments, industry, foundations, and individual donors.^[33] World-renowned faculty and more than 400 research laboratories put Purdue University among the leading research institutions.^[34] Purdue University is considered by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education to have "very high research activity".^[35] Purdue also was rated the nation's fourth best place to work in academia, according to rankings released in November 2007 by The Scientist magazine.^[36] Purdue's researchers provide insight, knowledge, assistance, and solutions in many crucial areas. These include, but are not limited to Agriculture; Business and Economy; Education; Engineering; Environment; Healthcare; Individuals, Society, Culture; Manufacturing; Science; Technology; Veterinary Medicine.^[37]

Purdue University generated a record $333.4 million in sponsored research funding during the 2007-08 fiscal year with participation from National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the U.S. departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy, and Health and Human Services.^[38]

Purdue University established the Discovery Park to bring innovation through multidisciplinary action.^[39] In all of the eleven centers of Discovery Park, ranging from entrepreneurship to energy and advanced manufacturing, research projects reflect a large economic impact and address global challenges.^[40] Purdue University's nanotechnology research program, built around the new Birck Nanotechnology Center in Discovery Park, ranks among the best in the nation.^[41]

The Purdue Research Park which opened in 1961^[42] was developed by Purdue Research Foundation^[43] which is a private, nonprofit foundation created to assist Purdue. The park is focused on companies operating in the arenas of life sciences, homeland security, engineering, advanced manufacturing and information technology.^[44] It provides an interactive environment for experienced Purdue researchers and private business and high-tech industry.^[45] It currently employs more than 3,000 people in 155 companies, including 90 technology-based firms.^[38] The Purdue Research Park was ranked first by the Association of University Research Parks in 2004.^[46]

[edit] Administration

The University President, appointed by the Board of Trustees, is the chief administrative officer of the university. The office of the president oversees admission and registration, student conduct and counseling, the administration and scheduling of classes and space, the administration of student athletics and organized extracurricular activities, the libraries, the appointment of the faculty and conditions of their employment, the appointment of all non-faculty employees and the conditions of employment, the general organization of the university, and the planning and administration of the university budget.

The Board of Trustees directly appoints other major officers of the university including a Provost who serves as the chief academic officer for the university, a number of vice presidents with oversight over specific university operations, and the satellite campus chancellors.

[edit] Presidents

• Richard Owen (1872-1874)
• Abraham C. Shortridge (1874-1875)
• John Hougham (1876)
• Emerson E. White (1876-1883)
• James H. Smart (1883-1900)
• Winthrop E. Stone (1900-1921)
• Henry W. Marshall (1921-1922)
• Edward C. Elliott (1922-1945)
• Andrey A. Potter (1945-1946)
• Frederick L. Hovde (1946-1971)
• Arthur G. Hansen (1971-1982)
• John W. Hicks (1982-1983)
• Steven C. Beering (1983-2000)
• Martin C. Jischke (2000-2007)
• France A. Córdova (2008-Present)

[edit] Student life

[edit] Student body

The Purdue student body is composed primarily of students from Indiana. In 2006-07, 23,086 out of a total of 39,288 students enrolled, belonged to Indiana.^[47] As of 2007, the racial diversity of the undergraduate student body was 86.9% white, 5.51% Asian, 3.53% African American, and 2.75% Hispanic.^[48] Of these students, 41.2% are female.^[49] Domestic minorities constitute a total of 15.4% in the Graduate student body population^[50] of which 38.5% are female.^[51] The largest minority (six percent of the full-time student body)^[52] is international, representing 123 countries.^[53] In graduate student population, non-residents occupy an overwhelming majority, about 78%.^[54] Almost all undergraduates^[55] and about 69.74% of the graduate student population attend full-time.^[56]

[edit] Housing

Purdue University operates fifteen separate residence halls for its undergraduate and graduate students, including: Cary Quadrangle, Earhart Hall, First Street Towers, Harrison Hall, Hawkins Hall, Hillenbrand Hall, Hilltop Apartments, McCutcheon Hall, Meredith Hall, Owen Hall, Purdue Village, Shreve Hall, Tarkington Hall, Wiley Hall, and Windsor Halls.^[57] Purdue is also building a new residence hall for upperclassmen.^[58]

There are 12 cooperative houses at Purdue (5 men's houses and 7 women's houses). The men's houses include Circle Pines, Fairway, Marwood, Chauncey, and Gemini. The women's houses include Ann Tweedale, Glenwood, Twin Pines, Maclure, Stewart, Devonshire, and Shoemaker. All cooperative houses are governed under the Purdue Cooperative Council which is led by Purdue University students whom live in these houses. The cooperative system claims that it allows for a much lower cost of living than other types of housing,^[59] as the members take an active role in sharing chores and cooking all meals themselves, as opposed to hiring out cleaning and cooking staff. The houses in the cooperative system accommodate between 14 and 60 members. Also, each house has a governing body consisting of a president, vice president, and other officers. Cooperatives frequently have the highest average GPA on campus, above fraternities, sororities, and residence halls. Cooperatives also participate in social events and interamurals. Cooperative housing at Purdue has been around since the 1920s.^[60]

Purdue University hosts the nation's third largest Greek community, with approximately 5,000 students participating in one of the 46 men's fraternities or 29 women's sororities.^[61] Several of Purdue's most distinguished graduates are members of fraternities and sororities.^[62]

[edit] Media

The Purdue Exponent, an independent student newspaper, has the largest circulation of any Indiana college newspaper, with a daily circulation of 17,500 copies during the spring and fall semesters.^[63]

The "Movie Tribute Show with Erik Mygrant" was created in a small television studio (now known as the Erik Mygrant Studio) on campus in 1999.^[64]

WBAA is a radio station owned by Purdue University. The station operates on the AM frequency of 920 kHz and FM frequency of 101.3 MHz. Its studios are in the Edward C. Elliott Hall of Music on the Purdue campus, and the transmitters are located in Lafayette, Indiana. WBAA is the longest continuously-operating radio station in Indiana, having been licensed on April 4, 1922. WBAA airs NPR and local news/talk programming during the day. Overnight, the AM station airs jazz while the FM station airs classical music.

There are also a few student radio stations on campus. Currently, three operate from residence halls, broadcasting via internet only; WCCR from Cary Quadrangle (not to be confused with the current WCCR FM or WCCR-LP stations in other states), WILY from Wiley Hall, and a most recent addition WHHR from Harrison Hall. A fourth student station, the Purdue Student Radio club operates from the Purdue Memorial Union and broadcasts on low power AM in addition to internet streaming.^{[65][66][66][67]}

W9YB is the callsign of the Amateur Radio Club at Purdue University. W9YB also holds the self declared title of having one of the largest and most active collegiate amateur radio stations in the country. W9YB actively participates in emergency management for the Tippecanoe County area and maintains ready status with its members in skills to assist.^[68]

[edit] Athletics

Purdue is home to 18 Division I/I-A NCAA teams including football, basketball, cross country, tennis, wrestling, golf, volleyball and others. Purdue is a founding member of the Big Ten Conference, and played a central role in its creation. Traditional rivals include Big Ten colleagues the Indiana Hoosiers, the Illinois Fighting Illini, and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish from the Big East Conference (football program independent, however). The Boilermakers battle the Hoosiers on the football field each year to win the Old Oaken Bucket. Purdue leads the series, first played in 1925, 68-36-6.

The Boilermaker men's and women's basketball teams have won more Big Ten Championships than any other conference school, with 27 conference banners, including a league-leading 21 for the men’s team. Purdue men's basketball has an all-time winning record against all Big Ten schools Old Gold Free Press.

The Boilermaker football team, after suffering a string of disappointing seasons in the late 1980s and early 1990s, enjoyed a significant resurgence under the leadership of head coach Joe Tiller. Before Tiller joined the Boilers as the 33rd head coach in 1996, the team had not been to a bowl game since 1984. The team made a bowl appearance every year of Tiller’s leadership except in 2005 and 2008. After his first season at Purdue, Tiller was named National Coach of the Year by both Football News and Kickoff magazines, the GTE Region 3 Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association and the Big Ten Dave McClain Coach of the Year. Tiller announced his retirement following the 2008 season, and will be replaced by interim assistant coach Danny Hope. Tiller currently holds the coaching record for the most wins at Purdue.^[69]

[edit] Traditions and legends

[edit] Boilermakers

The moniker for the University's athletics teams has become a popular reference for all things Purdue. A reporter first used the name in 1891 to describe the year's winning football team and quickly gained approval from students.

[edit] Mascots, logos, and colors

In the more than 130 years since the founding of the university, several mascots have emerged in support of the Boilermaker athletic teams, including: The Boilermaker Special, Purdue Pete, and more recently, Rowdy.

The Boilermaker Special has been the official mascot of Purdue University since 1940. Designed to look like a train locomotive, the Special was originally designed to demonstrate Purdue's engineering programs and is maintained by the members of the Purdue Reamer Club.

As the unofficial mascot of Purdue Athletics, Purdue Pete is one of the most recognized symbols of Purdue University. Purdue's newest symbol, Rowdy, was introduced in 1997 during the first home football game of the season. The inflatable mascot, made of parachute material, stands nearly 10 feet (3 m) tall, and represents a young boy who hopes to become a Purdue Boilermaker. However, the Rowdy costume was retired in the Fall of 2006 when both of the costumes became damaged and the sports administration decided to not fix them. The official reason was cost and they were a distraction during home games.

Purdue University adopted its school colors, Old Gold and Black, in the fall of 1887. Members of Purdue's first football team in 1887 felt that the squad should be distinguished by certain colors, and since Princeton was at the time the most successful gridiron unit, its colors were considered. Though actually orange and black, the Princeton colors were known by many as yellow and black. Purdue gridders opted for old gold over yellow, kept the black, and began flying the colors that endure today.^[70]

[edit] University Seal

The official seal of Purdue was officially inaugurated during the University's centennial in 1969. The seal, approved by the Board of Trustees, was designed by Prof. Al Gowan, formerly at Purdue. It replaced one that had been in use for 73 years, but was never officially accepted by the board.

In medieval heraldry, a griffin symbolized strength, and Abby P. Lytle used it in her 1895 design for a Purdue seal. When Professor Gowan redesigned the seal, he retained the griffin symbol to continue identification with the older, unofficial seal. As on the older seal, the words "Purdue University are set in the typeface Uncial. The three-part shield indicates three stated aims of the University: education, research, and service, replacing the words Science, Technology, and Agriculture on the earlier version.

[edit] School songs

The official fight song of Purdue University, "Hail Purdue!," was composed in 1912 by alumni Edward Wotawa (music) and James Morrison (lyrics) as the "Purdue War Song".^[71] "Hail Purdue" was copyrighted in 1913 and dedicated to the Varsity Glee Club.

The lyrics of the first verse and Chorus of "Hail Purdue" are as follows:

"To your call once more we rally, Alma Mater hear our praise. Where the Wabash spreads its valley, Filled with joy our voices raise. From the sky in swelling echos Come the cheers that tell the tale Of our victories And our heroes, Hail Purdue! We all sing Hail!

Chorous Hail Hail to Old Purdue! All Hail to our Old Gold and Black. Hail Hail to Old Purdue Our friendship may she never lack. Ever grateful, Ever true Thus we raise our song anew. Of the days we spent with you, All Hail our own Purdue."

[edit] Fountain runs

Students often begin and end their time at Purdue with a run through either of the West Lafayette campus's fountains. The Engineering Fountain and the Loeb Fountain run from April through October.^[72]

[edit] Grand Prix

This 50-mile, 160-lap go-kart race is "The Greatest Spectacle in College Racing" and wraps up Gala Week each year. All 33 participating karts are made from scratch by student teams. The event has been raising money for student scholarships since it began in 1958.^[73]

[edit] Old Oaken Bucket

Found on a farm in southern Indiana, the oaken bucket is one of the oldest football trophies in the nation. The winner of the annual Purdue vs Indiana University American football game gets to add a bronze "P" or "I" chain link and keep the trophy until the next face-off. Ironically, the first competition in 1925 led to a 0-0 tie, resulting in the first link on the chain being an "IP."^[74]

[edit] Alumni/alumnae

Purdue University has long been associated with accomplished and distinguished students and faculty. Purdue alumni/alumnae have headed corporations, held federal offices, founded television networks, and flown through space. Purdue’s distinguished faculty have won Nobel prizes, solved long-standing riddles in science, headed government agencies, and received countless awards. Some alumni of Purdue include: Pulitzer prize-winning author Booth Tarkington, popcorn specialist Orville Redenbacher, founder and CEO of C-Span Brian Lamb, pioneer of robotics and remote control technology Thomas B. Sheridan, Pulitzer prize-winning cartoonist John T. McCutcheon, actor George Peppard, Chinese nationalist Sun Liren, and NFL Football Hall of Fame quarterback Bob Griese.

Purdue alumni/alumnae have an especially strong relationship with NASA. All together, Purdue has produced 22 astronauts, including Neil Armstrong, the first man to have walked on the moon, and Eugene Cernan, the last man to do so.^[75] Over one third of all of NASA's manned space missions have had at least one Purdue graduate as a crew member.^[76] These individuals have led significant advances in research and development of aerospace technology and established an amazing record for exploration of space.

The Dauch Alumni Center acts as a showcase for the university's alumni and alumnae. The 67,000-square-foot (6,200 m²) center houses the offices of the Purdue Alumni Association and University Development. It is a destination and gathering area for the Purdue Alumni Association’s 68,000 members and more than 325,000 living alumni/alumnae.^[77]

[edit] Some of Purdue's Astronauts

Neil Armstrong	John Elmer Blaha	Roy D. Bridges	Mark N. Brown
Eugene A. Cernan	Roger Chaffee	Richard Oswalt Covey	Andrew Feustel
Guy Gardner	Gus Grissom	Michael McCulley	Jerry L. Ross
Mark Polansky	Loren James Shriver	Janice E. Voss	Charles D. Walker
Mary Ellen Weber	Donald E. Williams	David Wolf

[edit] See also

• List of forestry universities and colleges

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

1. ^1 motto  "Communications Standards and Licensing". Purdue University: Purdue Marketing Communications. http://centaur.pmc.purdue.edu/pages/communications/seals_logos.html. Retrieved on 2006-01-16. 
2. ^2 endowment "All Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2007 Market Value of Endowment Assets with Percent Change Between 2006 and 2007 Endowment Assets" (PDF). 2007 NACUBO Endowment Study. National Association of College and University Business Officers. http://www.nacubo.org/Images/All%20Institutions%20Listed%20by%20FY%202007%20Market%20Value%20of%20Endowment%20Assets_2007%20NES.pdf. Retrieved on 2008-08-29. 
3. ^{3 population}  "Data Digest West Lafayette 2006-2007 > Fast Facts". Purdue University. http://www.purdue.edu/datadigest/pages/fastfacts/fast2.htm. Retrieved on 2007-12-07. 
4. ⁴  real_estate  "Data Digest West Lafayette 2006-2007 > Facilities > Land and Facilities". Purdue University. http://www.purdue.edu/DataDigest/pages/facilities/fa_land.htm. Retrieved on 2007-09-22. 
5. ⁵  colors  "Purdue Identity Graphics Standards" (PDF). Purdue University. http://www.extension.purdue.edu/ktgmarketing/StandardsManual_screen.pdf. Retrieved on 2008-11-28. 

[edit] External links

• Official website
• Official athletics website
• Campus map
• Purdue Black Alumni Network

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