April 1, 2005

Alumni to celebrate Purdue’s Gala Week with reunions, activities

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. –While Purdue campus is celebrating Spring Fest with activities sponsored by various schools and colleges, Purdue alumni will be honored through the Purdue Alumni Association's 2005 Gala Week April 15-17.

Gala Week celebrations include the Class of 1955's 50th reunion and features dinners and a dance where participants are asked to dress in 1950s styles or black-and-gold casual. All classes will be honored at the 131st Founders Day Banquet on Saturday (April 16), when there will be a Big Band dance program.

All reunion classes also will be able to tour the new Dick and Sandy Dauch Alumni Center from 1:30-3 p.m. on Saturday. The 67,000-square-foot facility dedicated last fall showcases the university's points of pride and achievements with multimedia exhibits.

The annual class parade to university founder John Purdue's grave will step off at 9:45 a.m. Sunday (April 17) from the area between the Purdue Memorial Union and Stewart Center. The oldest attending graduate traditionally leads the parade. A memorial service at the grave is scheduled for 10 a.m. Other parade participants will include the "All-American" Marching Band, Purdue Pete and the Boilermaker Special.

Registration and activities information will be available for most gala events from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday (April 15-16) in the Purdue Memorial Union, Room 118. For registration and ticket information, call (800) 414-1541 or (765) 494-5178. A complete listing of events also is available online at the Alumni Gala Week Web site.

Writer: Maggie Morris, (765) 494-2432, maggiemorris@purdue.edu

Source: Sharon Martin, alumni communications director, (765) 494-5182, slmartin@purdue.edu

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

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