January 12, 2005
Purdue to connect with Muncie in community visit
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University leaders, who are traveling the state to meet and learn from its citizens, will be in Muncie on Tuesday (Jan. 18) to visit businesses and community members.
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Purdue President Martin C. Jischke and other university officials will visit Ontario Systems, Geoponic Enterprises and the Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance, as well as other locations.
Victor L. Lechtenberg, Purdue's vice provost for engagement, said he welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with business, farming and community leaders.
"We truly look forward to these visits," Lechtenberg said. "Purdue wants to do its part to promote economic development, enhance education and expand community service. To accomplish this mission, we need to exchange ideas with as many people throughout Indiana as we can."
This is the fifth year Jischke and university leaders have conducted daylong visits to Indiana communities. More than 50 previous stops have ranged from Gary to Jasper and from South Bend to New Albany. Future visits are planned for Bedford, Evansville, Valparaiso, Kokomo and Elkhart.
Several activities are scheduled for the Muncie visit:
• 11:40 a.m. – Lunch with Rotary Club members, Radisson Roberts Hotel, 420 S. High St. Jischke, who will be introduced by Ball State University President Jo Ann M. Gora, will speak and take questions from club members. Jischke will address how Purdue and Ball State can collaborate on economic development.
• 1:30 p.m. – Tour of Ontario Systems LLC, 1150 W. Kilgore Ave. Established in 1980, Ontario Systems develops software for the health-care industry and employs nearly 400 people. Its clients are among the nation's top 100 hospitals. Ontario Systems co-founder Ron Fauquher is a Purdue graduate.
• 2:45 p.m. – Economic development discussion with community leaders at the Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance, 401 S. High St. Participants will include Muncie Mayor Dan Canon; Joe Russell, Delaware County Council president; Rob Jeffs, Ivy Tech Community College chancellor, Larry Crouch, Delaware County Commissioners president; Terry Murphy, Economic Development Alliance vice president of economic development; Christy Steele, Economic Development Alliance vice president of technology advancement; and a representative from the Muncie Chamber of Commerce.
• 4 p.m. – Tour of Geoponic Enterprises, 3101 E. County Road 700 N. Geoponic Enterprises is an agribusiness owned by Joe Russell, a sixth-generation Indiana farmer who graduated from Purdue in 1974 with a degree in civil engineering. Prior to returning to the 1,900-acre family farm, which produces corn and soybeans, Russell served as a design engineer on the Trans Alaska Pipeline. Following the tour, Jischke and his party will participate in a discussion with nine Delaware County agribusiness leaders to explore how Purdue can continue to serve as a partner to increase the profitability of value-added agricultural enterprises and the agricultural industry.
• 5:15 p.m. – Reception, Delaware Country Club, 510 S. Country Club Road. Jischke will address the Delaware County Purdue Alumni Club.
Jischke, who came to Purdue in August 2000, is the university's 10th president. He previously served for nine years as president of Iowa State University, another land-grant institution. His experience in higher education also includes 17 years as professor and dean at the University of Oklahoma and five years at the University of Missouri-Rolla.
Jischke was the founding president of the Global Consortium of Higher Education and Research for Agriculture. He served as chairman and board member of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges and as a board member of the American Council on Education, National Merit Scholarship Corporation, and Kellogg Commission on the Future of State and Land-Grant Universities. He is on the boards of directors of the Association of American Universities and the American Council on Competitiveness.
After receiving his doctorate in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1968, Jischke joined the faculty of the University of Oklahoma's School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering. During his 17 years at Oklahoma, he served in multiple capacities. He became director of the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering in 1977. He served as dean of the College of Engineering from 1981 to 1986, and he was named the university's interim president in 1985.
Writer: Marydell Forbes, (765) 496-7704, mforbes@purdue.edu
Sources: Victor L. Lechtenberg, (765) 494-9095, vll@purdue.edu
David Petritz, Cooperative Extension Service director, (765) 494-8489, dpetritz@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
Note to Journalists: Media can attend the luncheon. To make arrangements, contact David Petritz at (765) 494-8489, dpetritz@purdue.edu.
Related Web site:
Purdue Office of Engagement
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