Purdue News

Purdue celebrates gifts for strategic plan,
construction to help Indiana economy

WEST LAFAYETTE, IND — Purdue University will continue to turn its strategic plan into reality this month during Homecoming Week as it breaks ground, dedicates or celebrates the results of fund raising for 11 buildings.

The university also will celebrate donations for professorships and student scholarships, as well as industry-grade software.

"We're keeping our promise to Hoosiers by focusing on the kinds of advanced technology niches that are part of our state's economic development future," said Murray Blackwelder, senior vice president for advancement. "We are also raising $600 million for scholarships and new programs, as well as new faculty positions. Our goal is to make a Purdue education world-class, yet affordable, and to attract the very best faculty to our classrooms."

The events mark the halfway mark of the $1.3 billion Campaign for Purdue fund-raising effort.

"'It's Happening Here,' is our catch phrase that tries to capture the excitement on campus," Blackwelder said. "Purdue is on the move. You'll sense that spirit in our banners, our events, and the smiles on the faces of our students and alumni."

The announcements and celebrations will encompass 11 buildings projects, including the:

• $25 million Biomedical Engineering Building.

• $15 million Bindley Bioscience Center.

• The School of Management's $35 million Rawls Hall.

• $11million Bowen Civil Engineering Laboratory, unlike any in the world for testing large structures like buildings and bridges.

• School of Science's $20 million computer science building.

• Schools of Engineering's $46 million Millennium Building.

• School of Liberal Art's proscenium theater in the new $38 million Visual and Performing Arts Building.

• $37 million for two School of Mechanical Engineering facilities: a $26 million wing and renovations to Ray W. Herrick Laboratories.

• Advanced Wireless Concept Validation Laboratory in the new $51 million Birck Nanotechnology Center in Discovery Park.

• $4 million John S. Wright Forestry Center at the Martell Forest.

The schedule begins Friday, Sept. 26, and runs through Homecoming on Oct. 4. Unless indicated, the events are invitation-only because of limited space:

The university will celebrate the planned construction of its first biomedical engineering building, to be built in Phase II of Discovery Park. The event begins at 1 p.m. on the lawn north of Herrick Labs, State Street and South Intramural Drive. Funding has cleared most hurdles and construction is expected to begin this spring.

At 4:30 p.m. the university will dedicate a 9-foot sculpture honoring President Emeritus Steven C. Beering outside Beering Hall of Liberal Arts and Education. The sculpture was created and donated by Spanish artist Faustino Aizkorbe (pronounced eye-SKOR-bay), who also fashioned the 40-foot bronze sculpture "Transformation," which is located in the heart of the Agricultural Mall at the intersection of Marsteller and Wood streets.

During the annual dinner of Purdue's major donors, the Purdue President's Council, President Martin C. Jischke will announce major gifts for the Schools of Engineering and Visual and Performing Arts Building, which opened this fall.

Gifts for scholarships and professorships will be announced during the President's Council's brunch before the Purdue vs. Notre Dame football game.

The School of Technology will announce a major gift of software for its Department of Computer Graphics Technology.

• Monday, Sept. 29

Purdue will celebrate the construction just begun in Discovery Park for the Bindley Bioscience Center. The event is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on the lawn north of Herrick Labs, State Street and South Intramural Drive. Construction has just begun.

Purdue will announce several gifts for the School of Mechanical Engineering, the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and the Visual and Performing Arts Building. The announcements will take place at 11 a.m. in Purdue Memorial Union, Room 118.

• Wednesday, Oct. 1

The Department of Computer Science will celebrate the completion of its drive to raise funds for a building to enable it to consolidate most of its offices and classrooms. It will be located at the northwest corner of Third and University streets. A 3:30 p.m. groundbreaking is planned.

The School of Management will dedicate Rawls Hall at the southeast corner of State and Grant streets. Rawls, which nearly doubles the size of the school, is considered the crown jewel of its three-building complex. Classes began this fall in the facility. The dedication will take place at 3 p.m. in the third-floor atrium of the new building, and building tours will be offered from 4-5:30 p.m.

That evening television newsman Tim Russert will be the keynote speaker for the Krannert Leadership Speakers Series dinner in the Purdue Memorial Union ballrooms. Russert is the moderator of the television show, "Meet the Press," and political analyst for the "NBC Nightly News" and the "Today" show. He anchors "The Tim Russert Show" and is senior vice president and Washington bureau chief of NBC News.

The School of Civil Engineering will dedicate its new Bowen Civil Engineering Laboratory beginning at 11:30 a.m. at the just-completed facility, located on South River Road, about 1.5 miles south of its intersection with State Street. Tours of the facility will follow.

At 4 p.m. the School of Agriculture will dedicate the $4 million John S. Wright Forestry Center at the Martell Forest. The public can tour the building and forest beginning at 2 p.m. To reach the center, turn south off Indiana 26 East onto County Road 750 W. At the stop sign, turn left onto County Road 125 N., which turns into County Road 725 W. The entrance is on the left at the bottom of the hill.

At 7 p.m. the Homecoming Night Train parade will begin at the intersection of Steven C. Beering and Tower Drive and end near Slayter Hill, where a pep rally will follow at 8 p.m. The parade and pep rally, sponsored by the Purdue Student Union Board, are open to the public. Grandstands for parade spectators will be available at the Recreational Sports Center on North Intramural Drive. The parade route is online.

The public is invited to universitywide Homecoming activities from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the Purdue Mall, with entertainment located at a stage beneath the Purdue Bell Tower.

At 1:30 on that stage, the Schools of Engineering will announce the near completion of fund raising for its Millennium Building, planned for Stadium and Northwestern avenues. The announcement will be followed by a 2:30 p.m. parade to the just-renovated and expanded Ross-Ade Stadium for the 3:30 p.m. kick off of the Purdue vs. Illinois football game.

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