Purdue Best Bets

December 1, 2000 JOURNALISTS: Here are story ideas and a list of selected Purdue events during the next two weeks. New construction unveiling at research park A group of private investors Wednesday (12/6) will unveil plans for a high-tech office building now under construction at the Purdue Research Park. Renderings of the project will be made available to the media during a 10 a.m. news conference at the Purdue Technology Center, 3000 Kent Avenue. Journalists attending the event will hear from speakers Martin C. Jischke, president of Purdue University, Jeffrey Wilson, senior vice president/treasurer of the Purdue Research Foundation, and Mike Witteveen, a principal in Research Properties LLC and president of Tecton Construction Management Inc. The construction project is a response to space demands by rapidly growing companies within the park's business incubation complex. CONTACT: Jeanine Smith, (765) 496-3133; jeanine@purdue.edu Memorial Union continues holiday activities The Purdue Student Union Board continues "2000 Holidays at the Union," through Dec. 15 in the Purdue Memorial Union. The largest indoor natural Christmas tree in Indiana is set up in the Great Hall. This year the tree was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Overly of Lafayette. Sounds of the season concerts featuring local artists will be presented daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Great Hall. Groups will hand out free food samples and set up informational booths on holiday celebrations around the world from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6. All events are free and open to the public. CONTACT: Martha Montalvo, PSUB Director of Cultural Events, (765) 494-8976. Caterpillar worker to finally get weekends off "In some circles of the job market today, the MBA is the price of admission, the way you get in the door," says Eddie H. Midha, who will earn receive his executive master of science in management degree during Purdue's commencement ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 17 in Elliott Hall of Music. Midha, who lives in Crawfordsville, is already in the door at Caterpillar, Inc. For the past two-plus years, he has spent most of his Saturdays at the Krannert Center at Purdue with his 30 classmates working on a degree through Purdue's Weekend Executive Master of Science in Management Program. The students are in class from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., taking one class in the morning and one in the afternoon. CONTACT: Midha, (765) 448-2064, midhaeh@CAT.com. New Purdue grad races to NASCAR circuit Ryan Newman is scheduled to graduate from Purdue University in interdisciplinary engineering at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 17, but as far as a career goes, he's already in the driver's seat. Newman, of South Bend, began racing quarter midgets at age four. He moved up to stock car racing in 1993. Last year, Newman met racing empire mogul Roger Penske at the Daytona 500 and drove for his Penske Racing South team last summer in the Arco racing series. Newman's career moves into high gear when he begins racing on the NASCAR circuit next season. Newman's long-time involvement with racing includes his education at Purdue, where he created a vehicle structure engineering program as part of his interdisciplinary engineering studies. The 1996 South Bend LaSalle High School graduate is scheduled to pick up his Purdue diploma during ceremonies in Elliott Hall of Music. CONTACT: Ryan Newman, (704) 664-0634. Events • Friday through Sunday. Dec. 8-10.  Purdue Musical Organizations Christmas Show. Elliott Hall of Music. Shows are 8 p.m. Friday; noon, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday; and 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $23 for adults and $16 for students. • Saturday, Dec. 16. 10:30 a.m.  Board of Trustees Meeting. Room 304 (Anniversary Drawing Room), Purdue Memorial Union. President Martin C. Jischke and members of the Purdue Board of Trustees will be available in Purdue Memorial Union Room 256 immediately following the meeting to answer questions from journalists. CONTACTS:Jeanne V. Norberg, director, Purdue News Service, (765) 494-2084; e-mail, jnorberg@purdue.edu, or Joseph L. Bennett, vicepresident for University Relations, (765) 494-2082; e-mail, jlbennett@purdue.edu • Sunday, Dec. 17. 9:30 a.m. and 2:30p.m.  Elliott Hall of Music. Purdue will conduct two graduation ceremonies for about 2,950 degree recipients. Journalists who want to cover West Lafayette commencement will need tickets for the event. To make arrangements, call Mike Willis, (765) 494-0371, or Jenny Pratt, (765) 494-2079, at the Purdue News Service. CONTACT: Kathleen B. Munn, assistant registrar, (765) 494-8219, kmunn@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page