{"id":4541,"date":"2026-04-30T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/operations\/?p=4541"},"modified":"2026-04-24T14:09:50","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T14:09:50","slug":"we-power-purdue-the-grounds-team-behind-campus-first-impressions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.purdue.edu\/operations\/blog\/2026\/04\/30\/we-power-purdue-the-grounds-team-behind-campus-first-impressions\/","title":{"rendered":"We Power Purdue: The Grounds team behind campus first impressions"},"content":{"rendered":"
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For Erin Sarafin, spring commencement doesn\u2019t just mark the end of the academic year. It is what everything builds toward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Erin has been with the Grounds Department since 2017. She calls commencement her Super Bowl. In the five weeks leading up to the ceremonies, she and her team work nonstop to mulch the entire main campus, getting it ready for the thousands of graduates and their families who will soon arrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe Power Purdue means we are maintaining that first impression of campus,\u201d Erin said. \u201cYou\u2019re not going to talk to a person when you first arrive. You see the landscaping and the buildings first, and we help maintain that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That pride comes from more than 25 years of experience working with plant materials. Groundskeeping is not just a job for Erin. It is something she truly enjoys. Whether she is out and about on campus or working alongside her team, she finds a lot of purpose in teaching others and sharing her knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Erin started at Purdue as a seasonal groundskeeper and worked her way up to crew chief. Now, she leads with both experience and energy, feeding off the pace of campus and the people around her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That energy really stands out during Purdue Day of Service, her favorite campus event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEveryone is upbeat and excited,\u201d she said. \u201cThey want to contribute to campus, knowing it\u2019s a presentation for everybody who\u2019s graduating.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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We are invisible a lot of the time for the work we do.<\/p>\n\n <\/blockquote>\n

Erin Sarafin<\/p>\n

Crew Chief
Grounds Department<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

A lot of the Grounds team\u2019s work happens behind the scenes, but Erin says the small moments mean the most. A compliment from a student, faculty or staff member can go a long way. It is a reminder that even if people do not always see the work, they still feel it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When commencement arrives and campus fills with proud families taking it all in, Erin knows exactly what they are seeing. A place that was carefully prepared to welcome them.<\/p>\n\n\n

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See Erin’s Full Story<\/h2>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

How to join in recognition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We Power Purdue<\/strong> is about more than sharing stories, it is about celebrating people. Students, faculty and staff can show appreciation by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n