Purdue News Roundup
Purdue News RoundupDecember 12, 1997
The Purdue Alumni Association and the Athletic Department have tailored two bowl packages: one for alumni and fans at $1,375 per person (based on double occupancy) and one for Purdue students at $830 per person (based on quadruple occupancy).
Both tours include round-trip airfare from Indianapolis to San Antonio; round-trip transfers between the airport and hotel by deluxe motorcoach; luggage handling and porterage at the airport and hotel, including gratuities; Alamo Bowl name badge, luggage tags and souvenir; Boilermaker welcome reception; pep rally featuring the "All-American" Marching Band; and a complete Dec. 30 game-day package including pregame tailgate party, buffet and game ticket to the 8 p.m. game against Oklahoma State.
Four nights' accommodations for alumni and fans will be at the Marriott Rivercenter, Marriott Riverwalk or Hilton Palacio del Rio -- all on San Antonio's riverwalk. The student package includes four nights' accommodations at the Menger Hotel, which is next door to the Alamo and adjacent to the Rivercenter Mall and riverwalk. Hospitality desks, staffed by the alumni association, will be set up at each hotel during the trip. Purdue dean of students staff also will be on hand at the Menger Hotel.
"This is an exciting time for the entire university family, and we are trying to make these trips as accessible to students as possible," Lawrence S. Preo, executive director of the Purdue Alumni Association, said.
Stephen J. Akers, interim dean of students, said: "We want students to go, any way they can get there. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many of our students to show their Purdue pride, not to mention that our fan support has an impact on future bowl invitations."
For those who want to make their own transportation arrangements, the complete ground package also is available minus the airfare. The alumni/fan package is $995 per person (based on double occupancy). The student package is $450 per person (based on quadruple occupancy).
The alumni association received more than 2,800 bowl package deposits. Preo reminds fans that a second reservation form needs to be filled out to complete the application process.
Fans who just want a game ticket may buy it at the Purdue Athletic Ticket Office, (800) 49-SPORT or (765) 494-3194.
Akers said students who are making their own travel arrangements can speak with local travel agents or Corporate Travel Planners in San Antonio at (800) 810-2695. He said hotel rooms are getting difficult to find for people not traveling with the official party.
CONTACTS: Preo, (800) 414-1541 or (765) 494-5175; Akers, (765) 494-1239
NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: Journalists who want to cover the West Lafayette commencement will need tickets and should reserve space for camera equipment. Call Roy A. Johnson, associate registrar, at (765) 494-6163, or Mike Willis, Purdue News Service, at (765) 494-0371.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue University will award degrees at two campuses during December.
Ceremonies are scheduled at the West Lafayette campus at 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21, in Elliott Hall of Music. Purdue Calumet will conduct commencement ceremonies at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 18, at the Holiday Star Theatre, Merrillville.
Purdue President Steven C. Beering and Purdue Alumni Association President Charles E. Boonstra, St. Joseph, Mich., will address the graduates during the West Lafayette ceremonies. About 1,950 undergraduate students are scheduled to receive degrees. About 600 graduate and professional degrees will be awarded.
The commencement ceremonies will feature two large video screens above the Hall of Music stage. The screens will display a close-up photo of each graduate as he or she is congratulated by the dean, just after receiving the diploma.
Each ceremony at the West Lafayette campus will be for specific schools. The schedule is:
Music will be provided by the Winter Commencement Band and the University Choir.
Commencement videos for each school will be available to new graduates, their families and friends, said Steve Hall, director of the Hall of Music. The video costs $25 plus $5 postage and handling. Order forms are available at Purdue box offices and will be available from hall ushers and with programs during the ceremonies. The Hall of Music box office will be open just before and after each ceremony to accept order forms.
CONTACT: Roy A. Johnson, associate registrar, (765) 494-6163; e-mail, rajohn@delta.reg.purdue.edu
NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: Black-and-white or color photos of the Purdue "All-American" Marching Band are available from Jenny Tucker, public relations director, bands, (765) 496-2697.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- An international experience awaits 90 members from the Purdue University "All-American" Marching Band as they spend a week touring Venezuela from Monday, Jan. 5, through Sunday, Jan. 11.
The band will be contributing to the celebration of the 34th Saint Sebastian International Festival in San Cristobal, Venezuela. The festival draws thousands of people from throughout the region, as well as former Venezuelans from around the world. It celebrates the end of the country's rainy season and the beginning of the bull fight season.
The band's activities will be based out of San Cristobal, in the northwestern section of the country, but its performance schedule will include visits to surrounding small towns, bull-fight stadiums and other venues.
"The chance to participate in an event of this magnitude, and to experience the excitement of South American culture, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these students," David A. Leppla, director of university bands, said. "They will learn about this culture on a very special level, through participation in the musical arts. This kind of interaction goes far beyond the walls of the university classroom and supports the global education so necessary to the future of Purdue graduates."
The entire band could not make the trip, so students petitioned a selection committee for the chance to make the trip. The committee based its decisions on ability, dependability, seniority and participation in spring ensembles.
The trip is possible through the support of the Insitituto Autonomo Municipal "Feria Internacional De San Sebastian," which is the festival's organizing committee.
The Purdue Marching Band has a long history of travel within Venezuela; the band's first performance in San Cristobal was in 1967. The tremendous reception it received during that visit led to 10 additional trips over the next several years.
Although Purdue has no school of music, the marching band is the largest in the country, with almost 375 members. Purdue students also can participate in a wide variety of other instrumental musical activities, including five concert bands, four jazz bands, a full symphony orchestra, a vocal jazz group, individual instrumental study, and a multitude of solo and ensemble opportunities.
The bands department is in the midst of a $2 million fund-raising campaign that will run through Homecoming 1999 with a goal of $400,000 for band scholarships, $800,000 for new instruments, and $800,000 to support student travel opportunities.
CONTACT: Leppla, (765) 494-0770.
A report by Purdue's Office of the Dean of Students listed 76 student organizations that donated time and money. Most of the organizations were Greek-letter fraternities and sororities, said Aaron C. Kelley, graduate administrative professional with the Office of the Dean of Students.
Among the top volunteer organizations were Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, which provided 1,351 hours and $5,775.86 to nonprofit organizations; Delta Gamma sorority, 884 hours and $6,022.03; Pi Beta Phi sorority, 1,960 hours and $2,503.02; Purdue Student Government, $2,092.02; Residence Hall Council, $5,724; and Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, 1,030 hours and $6,478.88.
"There are several reasons groups volunteer for charitable organizations," Kelley said. "Fraternities and sororities often have community service and community relations as part of their foundations. Purdue does not have an expectation that the Greek houses will participate in charitable functions, but some of their national offices do.
"But for most of the non-Greek organizations, volunteering is something the members feel is important and something they ought to be doing."
CONTACT: Kelley, (765) 494-1232; e-mail, kiss5477@expert.cc.purdue.edu
While Purdue Agriculture has exchange programs with about 20 universities around the world, the program with the University of Agriculture in Krakow is the first to bring Polish students here. The two-way exchange will send Purdue agriculture students to study in Poland at the same time.
The eight students, most of whom are women, are 20 or 21 years old and are majoring in agriculture. They will stay with host families Jan. 9 through May 8 and attend school full time. All are proficient in English and have medical insurance and money for incidental expenses.
Host families, who need to live in the Greater Lafayette area, provide room and board as well as the opportunity to participate in family activities. Single adults, families with young or school-age children, and even retired couples can participate, said Carol Andrew, host family coordinator for Purdue's International Programs in Agriculture. "Previously, we've had families who shared a common ancestry with the student's home country or wanted to introduce their children to another culture. We've also had families and students who we matched because of common interests."
Purdue provides orientation for students and host families and offers continued support for both throughout the semester. If you are interested in being a host or would like more information, contact Andrew at (765) 494-8458 or e-mail cea@agad.purdue.edu.
-- The Purdue Memorial Union will close at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 24, and remain closed through Sunday, Dec. 28. It will be open from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Dec. 29 and 30, and 5:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 31. The Union will be closed Jan. 1 through 4 and will resume normal hours Jan. 5. The Union Club Hotel will be open Dec. 31 through Jan. 4. Stewart Center will close at 5 p.m. Dec. 24 and remain closed through Dec. 27. The facility will be open from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. Dec. 28; 5:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Dec. 29 and 30; and 5:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 31. Stewart Center will be closed Jan. 1 through 3. The facility will be open from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. Jan. 4 and resume regular hours Jan. 5.
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Alumni Honors:
-- Roberto Lee, chief engineer for Associated Chemical Engineering Services in St. Louis, has been elected to a three-year term as secretary to the council of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). Lee earned his master's and doctoral degrees in chemical engineering from Purdue, and in 1993 received the Outstanding Chemical Engineer Award from the School of Chemical Engineering. Lee is a fellow of AIChE and has served in a variety of positions with the national organization, including director and treasurer of the council.
Compiled by J. Michael Willis, (765) 494-0371; e-mail, mike_willis@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu
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