Purdue News

September 11, 1998 Ford Motor Co. gives to diversity at Purdue NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: A color photo of the Black Cultural Center under construction is available. Ask for the photo called BCC.constr. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- A gift from the Ford Motor Co. will establish the Ford Learning Resource Center in the new Black Cultural Center at Purdue University. The gift of $115,000 was announced this week by Alex Trotman, Ford chairman and chief executive officer, and Marcus Clarke, BCC fund-raising committee chairman and Ford business operations and development manager. "Support of higher education continues to be one of our highest priorities, and we're pleased to have this opportunity to help provide greater understanding and awareness of the African-American experience," Trotman said. Ford employs more than 550 Purdue graduates, and has been one of the university's top research and recruiting partners for a number of years. Clarke said Ford has offered this support for the "bricks and mortar" part of the Black Cultural Center project to help students better prepare for a diverse work force. "Ford recruits more graduates from Purdue than any other university outside the state of Michigan," Clarke said. "And since ours is a global workforce of various cultures and ethnicity, it's important that our future employees understand, embrace and support diversity. We believe that the Black Cultural Center plays a key role in that portion of a Purdue education." Renee Thomas, director of the Black Cultural Center, said the impact of the Ford Learning Resource Center in the BCC library will reach beyond Purdue's campus. "In addition to providing access to the Purdue community, the Black Cultural Center library lends its books via interlibrary loan to libraries throughout the state of Indiana," Thomas said. "And better storage also allows us to preserve our collection in a more effective way. That's especially important because black-related materials go out of print at a faster rate than non-black-related materials and are less likely to be reprinted." The Black Cultural Center serves about 35,000 people each year through its four performing arts ensembles, speaker series, tours and other programs. Built entirely with gift funds, the new $3 million, 18,000-square-foot building, at Third and Russell Streets, will incorporate geometric patterns, textures and materials typically found in African villages. Main rooms will include an expanded art and gallery space, a computer laboratory, rehearsal areas for the performing arts ensembles, and office space for student organizations. Construction of the center, designed by Blackburn Architects of Indianapolis, began this spring and completion is expected by the fall of 1999. CONTACTS: Marcus Clarke, (313) 322-9231; Renee Thomas, (765) 494-3091 Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page