January 6, 2005

For Purdue students, local community more than just a place to stay

A group of resident assistants from Owen Hall took turns in a dunk tank to raise money for the local chapter of the Red Cross.

Residents of Tarkington Hall gave money to victims of the recent earthquake in Pakistan for the privilege of tossing pies at hall administrators.

Resident assistants at Purdue Village worked to plan and coordinate a walk to raise funds for diabetes charities, as well as an information fair to educate people about the disease.

These activities, and countless more like them that take place at Purdue University every day were not part of any classes and won't take students closer to their degrees. However, all of these evetns during the past semester represent the many ways that Purdue students contribute to their community.

As campus sits mostly empty, waiting on the return rush of students for the spring semester, it is important to remember that these students are not isolated in an ivory tower, separated from their neighbors. Just the opposite is true. Purdue students are an integral part of our community and give of themselves every day to do their part to improve it.

Students are a vital part of West Lafayette and Lafayette, working in local businesses, going to local churches, sending their children to local schools, and volunteering with local organizations. They do all of the same things that any other citizens our community do to help make it what it is.

This year, Purdue students have worked hard to contribute to the community in ways that affect all of West Lafayette and Lafayette. As an example, the 11,500 students who live in University Residences housing had several large and small initiatives to contribute to the lives of people living throughout Tippecanoe County.

• In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Purdue students joined with the community to raise money to contribute to the Red Cross of Greater Lafayette. Almost $10,000 was collected at Purdue residence halls.

• Residents at Owen Hall donated more than 2,300 pounds of food for Lafayette-area food banks during a Thanksgiving food drive. The total was more than 700 pounds more than was collected in 2004.

• Almost every hall held fund-raisers to contribute to Purdue's United Way campaign, raising more than $2,000 that will be allocated to local service organizations.

• Resident assistants at Hawkins Hall and Purdue Village organized fund-raising walks to collect donations to local organizations that work to fight diabetes and AIDS. The events also served to provide information on the diseases to participants.

The amounts of money raised and other contributions made through the residence halls are particularly noteworthy given that the majority of the students living on campus are first-year students. As they continue their education, the roots they establish during that first year continue to grow and strengthen their connection to their community.

Other student organizations around campus have participated in fund-raisers and other service activities. Student volunteers work with essentially every charitable agency in Tippecanoe County, whether as part of class assignments, activities with student organizations or their own initiative. Each year offices like the Boiler Volunteer Network, the Office or Engagement and Engineering Projects in Community Service connect thousands of students with community organizations.

Students who come to Purdue live in our community for four, five or more years. Many plant roots that keep them here for years after they leave the university. For others who move on, West Lafayette and Lafayette are much more than a place that they live for a few years. It is their home for those years, and when they leave our community is much richer for them having been a part of it.

And is not just the community that gains from the presence of students. The way the people of Tippecanoe County embrace Purdue students and welcome them as members of their community teach the students a lesson they will take with them when they leave about the value of a strong community filled with people of help and support each other. That lesson helps encourage them to continue to fill their lives with community service, wherever those lives take the,

Note to Journalists: A publication-quality photo of Poland is available at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/+2005/poland-e05.jpg.

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