JUNE CIAMPA, 1961-62 & 64-65

Home: Ortonville, MI

Married Name: June Ciampa Lauer

Husband's Name: Jerry Lauer Children: Lane

Current occupation: Real Estate Agent, Builder

Past jobs/life situations that have contributed to the richness of my life: Coached and judged twirling to National Champion level for 45 years. Taught special needs children at elementary level after graduation from Purdue; Co-Chair of Capitol Campaign for "All-American" Marching Band.

Hobbies/passions that I enjoy: Interior decorating. Currently building a vacation log home for family. Greatest passions are my two grandchildren Blaze & Kacy, plus my affiliation with Purdue AAMB and returning as alumnae Golden Girl.

Still involved in twirling? I still coach on a consulting basis. Judge occasionally. Recruit twirlers for the Purdue AAMB. Established and funded "Golden Girl" scholarship at Purdue.

What made/makes the Golden Girl position so special: The Golden Girl is the one living individual "icon" of Purdue University. The other Purdue trademarks are groups such as the AAMB or athletic teams, or non living emblems or logos such as the Boilermaker Special, Big Bass Drum, etc. Therefore, she is the most visible and vocal personal representative of Purdue.

How being Golden Girl has shaped/impacted my life beyond Purdue: Being Golden Girl has always contributed to my self-confidence and ability to speak in public. More importantly, it's opened many doors for me throughout my life. After graduation I applied for a position in a district not hiring new teachers. However, when administrators saw "Golden Girl" on my resume, they were curious to meet "The Golden Girl". So I got an interview, and got the job.

Favorite memories from being Golden Girl: My three trips to South America were incredible. It was before the average South American home had a TV. Consequently, I was perceived as a celebrity with clothes of real gold. Exchanging my baton with "El Cordehes" the famous bullfighter, for his hat just before his "World Famous" fight inspired the newspapers to declare us "engaged." Their spin on it was "The Kiss of Gold" inspired "El Cordehes" to his greatest bullfight. A sub-note about the '60's. He was the highest paid athlete in the world at that time!

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