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August 9, 2002

Purdue to showcase entire university during day at State Fair

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University is inviting all Hoosiers to Discover Purdue at the Indiana State Fair Wednesday.

This is the first time that any university has sponsored a day at the fair, and the Purdue black-and-gold will fill Main Street with Discover Purdue banners and more than 40 tents of interactive Purdue exhibits. The day will be filled with music from the "All-American" Marching Band and the Purduettes ensemble, rides on the Boilermaker Special, a pep rally, parade, three student-designed race cars, robots and an Amelia Earhart exhibit. Purdue astronaut Jerry Ross will pose for photos with fairgoers and football legend Leroy Keyes will sign autographs.

"This is a way to show the people of Indiana the tremendous variety of programs and services Purdue offers," said Purdue President Martin C. Jischke.

At 5 p.m. Purdue cheerleaders will rally crowd on the Main Street Stage and Jischke will speak, followed by a 6:30 p.m. parade

The area near the gazebo will house displays representing every school of the university. At 9 a.m. Indiana first lady Judy O'Bannon will visit Purdue's Discovery Park display for "2016, Step Into the Future" during her visit to the fair. Indiana 2016, a 25-member task force, was initiated by O'Bannon to encourage individuals, organizations and communities to set their vision on the future of Indiana and how to make it a reality by the year 2016 – the state's 200th birthday.

"The exhibits will be informative, fun and interactive," said Dana Neary, event co-organizer. "This is a neat way to take what we're doing on campus and bring those things to the center of the state."

Among the displays will be:

• A solar car, Baja car and Formula car designed by students in the Schools of Engineering.

• A robot built through a student organization called FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology).

• A tractor built and designed by students in the School of Agriculture.

• Information on a new technology center for visualization and perceptualization called Envision.

• "Finding Amelia Earhart," a Purdue Libraries exhibit about the famous aviatrix who disappeared 65 years ago during her solo flight around the world.

Throughout the tents, more than 300 Purdue staff and students will be available to provide information on admissions, financial aid and academic programs.

Astronaut Ross will speak with visitors at the Purdue tents from noon until 2 p.m. A large backdrop of the Earth as seen from the moon will be set up and people can have their picture taken with him. Ross has logged 58 hours and 18 minutes in nine spacewalks, more spacewalk time than any other NASA astronaut. His seventh space flight, aboard Atlantis in April 2002, also is a record.

Later Ross will be joined at an autograph session by Miss Indiana and Purdue student Tangra Riggle, coach and football All-American Keyes, and other Purdue celebrities. Purdue's National Public Radio affiliate WBAA will broadcast live all day from the Our Land Pavilion.

The schools of Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine and Consumer and Family Sciences will have several displays throughout the duration of the fair in the Our Land Pavilion. Among the displays will be information on agro-terrorism, food safety, financial management, exotic species and integrated pest management.

In the Expo Hall on Aug. 14 will be displays of products created for people with disabilities by Purdue students in EPICS (Engineering Projects in Community Service) and computer games will be highlighted at the display "Cyberprotect."

Those who come to the fairgrounds for Purdue Day will be greeted by gate employees wearing Purdue shirts. Rides on the Boilermaker Special will be available from 2-4 p.m. Those who attend also may enter a drawing to win a pair of tickets to the Sept. 28 Purdue vs. Minnesota football game.

A complete listing of the day's events and a map of the fairgrounds can be found on the Web.

Purdue Day at the Indiana State Fair is the first stop in an effort to take Purdue to the people of Indiana. Purdue plans to visit Vincennes Sept. 18; Logansport, Oct. 29; Aurora, Nov. 26; Indianapolis, Dec. 13; Rensselaer, Jan. 21; Columbia City, Feb. 18; Scottsburg, March 21; and Anderson, April 24. The events are part of the university's ongoing Discover Purdue initiative, designed to give citizens and prospective students an inside glimpse of the university.

Writer: Beth Forbes, (765) 494-2722; forbes@purdue.edu

Sources: Martin C. Jischke, (765) 494-9708

William H. Stinson, (317) 927-7500

Dana Neary, (765) 494-9113; nearyd@purdue.edu

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722; Beth Forbes, bforbes@aes.purdue.edu; https://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/AgComm/public/agnews/

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu


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