Purdue News

November 19, 1999 Purdue recognized for community service program WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Thanks to a nationally acclaimed student volunteer program, engineering graduates from Purdue University enter the work force with more than a strong educational background – they also have a keen understanding of what it means to help the less fortunate. The Purdue program – Engineering Projects in Community Service, commonly called EPICS – earned Purdue a listing in "The Templeton Guide: Colleges That Encourage Character Development" as one of 60 colleges and universities in the nation with an exemplary volunteer service program. This is the first year the guide has been published. With profiles of more than 300 outstanding college programs in 10 categories, it is geared to assist high school students, parents and educators in identifying institutions with character-building courses and projects. "Purdue is well known for its outstanding engineering programs, and now it is being honored for its role in the community. We are very pleased that the volunteer work by the engineering students has been recognized on a national level," said Robert L. Ringel, Purdue executive vice president for academic affairs. "This distinction validates their hard work and commitment to civic responsibility. The effort to encourage students to include community service activities as an important part of their university experience has been led by John Pomery, community service director and associate professor of economics." The book, which was published Oct. 22 by the John Templeton Foundation, notes Purdue's emphasis on fostering "the necessity of teamwork; the difficulty of managing and leading large projects; the need for skills and knowledge from many different disciplines; and the art of solving technical problems" in its engineering students. Purdue EPICS leaders are faculty directors Edward Coyle, Leah Jamieson and William Oakes, and administrative assistant Pamela Brown. "The best aspect about this program for students is that it allows the practical application of what they learn in the classroom with community service," Pomery said. "Of course, the community benefits as well, because it provides service agencies with assistance in helping the public. Examples of the program's accomplishments include developing a centralized database to facilitate services, document reports and trace clients for the Homelessness Prevention Network in Tippecanoe County, creating computer-controlled and electromechanical toys for children with disabilities for the Wabash Center Children's Clinic in Lafayette, and providing design and construction services for building a wetland to treat the agricultural runoff at the Purdue Agricultural Research Center. Ringel said a focus on service learning and community involvement is on the rise at Purdue and other institutions of higher education. "EPICS and a number of other important programs have found strong acceptance on the West Lafayette campus and statewide. Some programs developed on the Purdue campus are being duplicated on campuses throughout the nation," he added. Other examples of Purdue's service learning courses can be found in fields as varied as pharmacy practice, curriculum and instruction in the School of Education, earth and atmospheric sciences, and landscape architecture. Sources: Robert L. Ringel, (765) 494-9709 John G. Pomery, (765) 494-4515; pomeryj@mgmt.purdue.edu Writer: Cynthia Sequin, (765) 494-2073, cynthia_sequin@purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page