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A Message from the President - April 2012

If you are anywhere near West Lafayette, you know that spring arrived early this year. Flowering trees and lush landscapes herald our annual spring festivities and celebrations.

Grad School Expo

Purdue participating in Graduate Student Appreciation Week.

Leading off our April events is Graduate Student Appreciation Week, which we celebrate during the first week of April. Our graduate students are researchers, scholars, writers, thinkers and leaders. They merit recognition for their hard work and we celebrate their contributions to our campus. They make the university proud as they stand out among their peers nationally and around the globe.

Purdue is leading its peers in graduate education, as evidenced by the latest rankings from U.S.News & World Report. Purdue's graduate programs rank among the nation's best, with many schools and programs seeing a rise in their rankings nationally, and two of our schools rank in the top 10. Purdue's College of Engineering tied for the No. 10 spot and the College of Pharmacy's doctor of pharmacy program tied in seventh place. Overall, we celebrated impressive rankings in engineering, education, business, health and human sciences, and pharmacy.

Grand Prix

The annual Grand Prix race takes place this month on campus.

Spring Fest takes place April 14-15 and features hands-on activities from many of our schools and colleges. I invite you to join me at the popular cricket-spitting contest. My range last year was 17.5 feet; I lost to women’s basketball standout Sam Osterello. The justly famous Grand Prix kart race is on April 21 with Purdue alumnus and astronaut Drew Feustel as Grand Marshal. Also, the electric vehicle Grand Prix is on April 28.

This month we dedicate Marriott Hall (for Hospitality and Tourism Management) and the Roland G.Parrish Library in the Krannert School of Management. We will hold celebration events for Lyles-Porter Hall and the Drug Discovery Building (part of the Life and Health Sciences Park) as well as for the Center for Student Excellence and Leadership (CSEL). We also celebrate the 10th birthday of Discovery Park.

Crissy Travis

Crissy Travis is an Opportunity Maker.

With so much happening around campus, I hope you will find time to Boiler Up and join in the fun.

Every day at Purdue, we celebrate the success of all of our students, graduate and undergraduate alike, for their achievements. This month’s "5 Students Who ..." web feature highlights some of our students who are Opportunity Makers. These outstanding individuals have overcome challenges to pursue their Purdue education. One example is Crissy Travis, a junior in electrical and computer engineering technology from Gary, Indiana. I hope you enjoy reading Crissy's story as well as those of other extraordinary students who have triumphed over great odds and are truly an inspiration.

Sincerely,

Signature

France A. Córdova
President