Purdue's 2008 highlights captured on video

[ Music ]
>> The year 2008 was full of excitement for Purdue.
The campus saw many firsts: First Boilermaker Ball,
first major alumni awards, first launching of a campaign
for student access and success, first inauguration
of a Purdue president, and first medal
in the Paralympics by a Purdue rower.
>> This is really an exciting time --
>> To help students succeed at Purdue,
the University launched a 304 million dollar campaign
for access and success.
>> We want to make certain that the benefits
of a Purdue University education are open to all students.
And we want to focus new energy on helping students succeed
and graduate once they arrive.
>> One key component is the Purdue promise,
which insures a Purdue education
to qualified Indiana students whose families earn $40,000
dollars or less.
Other Access and Success programs provide scholarships
for middle-income students, help attract and retain top students,
support learning communities, and boost orientation efforts.
>> Having a scholarship makes a huge difference.
It allows me not to worry about my financial issues right now.
It also allows me to start saving money so that I can think
about graduate school, medical school, or what I'm going
to do after I graduate.
>> I am the youngest of a family of 13 children,
so my family really can't afford to send everybody
to school off my dad's salary, so a scholarship --
it was a wonderful thing for me.
I probably wouldn't be here if it wasn't for a scholarship.
[ Music ]
>> The inauguration of President France Cordova took place
in April, the first ever such event on the Purdue campus.
Three former Purdue presidents took part.
Arthur Hansen presented the Presidential Medallion.
Steven Beering handed over the University Mace,
Martin Jischke presented a copy of the State Charter
that established Purdue in 1869.
[Music] The celebration continued into the evening
with the Inaugural Ball where Purdue Pete,
in a supersized tux,
joined President Cordova on the dance floor.
Inauguration Week also highlighted research
through several prestigious academic panels.
A procession of more than 120 flags representing the home
countries of Purdue students provided a colorful kickoff
to the Global University Symposium,
moderated by Purdue alumnus and C-SPAN President, Brian Lamb.
During her inauguration, Cordova outlined three goals
of Purdue's New Synergies Strategic Plan.
The first area of emphasis is launching tomorrow's leaders.
>> A priority is to enhance the experiences
of undergraduate students during their first two years.
We will centralize services and resources in a student hub
that fosters student life and leadership,
academic excellence, and diversity.
It will promote and reward innovation in teaching.
>> The second point of emphasis involves meeting
global challenges.
>> Everything I have said today involves our university's
position as being both transmitter
and receiver of global knowledge.
So now it's time to roll up our collective sleeve
to solve global problems.
[Background talking] Students, soon it will be expected
that you will have enriched your resume
with an experience abroad.
>> The third and final synergy is discovery with delivery.
>> As a research university, Purdue's goal is to be
at the forefront of discovering new knowledge.
A bold beginning is Purdue's Discovery Park,
localizes 11 interdisciplinary centers,
and encourages partnerships.
Purdue has constructed several commercial research parks
around Indiana which today hosts 170 companies, and now we need
to pump new discoveries into those parks.
>> Two, three.
>> Purdue's latest research park was dedicated in October.
The Technology Center
of Southeast Indiana houses facilities for Purdue's College
of Technology at New Albany and serves as an incubator
for startup and expanding companies.
>> One, two --
>> At the West Lafayette Purdue Research Park, ground was broken
for a 13-acre expansion and for a new innovation center.
>> We need to get some walking on the grass.
>> Speaking of discovery,
Purdue researchers are developing a device
to detect tiny cracks in bones.
The technology may help prevent serious leg fractures
in racehorses.
>> This has the potential to pick
up these micro-cracks before they become larger fractures.
In other words, before they become either stress fractures,
or even worse, these catastrophic injuries.
>> So can we identify who these people are?
>> Purdue North Central Alumni got a chance to learn more
about the role forensics plays in solving crimes.
From Purdue West Lafayette Clinical Laboratory science
director, David Tate.
>> Yeah, if somebody had a shovel --
>> Purdue celebrated its first Green Week in September.
It included a series
of activities involving recycling and sustainability.
>> The very most important step is
to start the conversation campus-wide about issues related
to environment, to energy,
to just general sustainability issues.
>> [Cheering] The Purdue Alumni Student Experience, or PASE,
sprinted to the top as Purdue's largest student group in 2008
with events like this gathering at Mackey
to watch the Purdue IU game on the big screen, and an evening
of networking with alumni.
>> Tonight is a night to celebrate Purdue,
rekindle old ties, friendships.
>> Your Alumni Association began the year with more
than 500 alumni and friends at Union Station in Indianapolis
for the first Boilermaker Ball.
Scheduled as an annual event for the last Friday in February,
the party featured a silent auction, dinner, dancing
and live entertainment.
>> The best part is that it's the anticipation
of what this is going to turn into over time.
That's what is exciting to me.
And to see this many people exhibiting this much Purdue
pride in one place that doesn't have a sporting event attached
to it, it doesn't happen very often.
So it's pretty exciting.
>> [Sound of drums] During Gala Weekend,
the class of 1958 celebrated it's 50th
with the traditional march to John Purdue's grave
and a loyalty luncheon.
Gala Weekend activities were scheduled in conjunction
with Spring Fest giving alumni plenty to see and do.
>> I feel like I'm at a family reunion of sorts.
>> The Purdue Black Alumni Organization hosted its first
business and leadership summit in Chicago in April.
In his keynote address aboard the Odyssey Cruise Ship,
McDonald's President, Don Thompson, emphasized the need
to attract more minority students to Purdue.
>> Why can't we do some of the things that help many of us
so that we can help Purdue move those numbers forward,
help that outreach, do some of the things necessary for all
of us to be a whole lot better.
>> I hope that you've had a chance to look
at the Purdue alumnus online.
>> The 37th Annual Alumni Leaders Conference featured a
record turnout.
The leaders learned ways to attract
and retain new volunteers,
and spark interest at the local level.
>> The nominees were nominated by their alumni club.
>> Jim Wark and Pat Parks received the Boilermaker Pride
Award at the Alumni Leaders Celebration Dinner.
1948 graduate Wark was honored with the in-state award
for his work with the Indianapolis chapter.
Parks, a 1973 alum, got the out-of-state award
for improving the Alumni Club of Central Iowa.
>> On the field to make the presentation are the --
>> Winners of the 2008 Young Alumni Award were Ismael DeJesus
from the Purdue Club of Northwest Indiana,
and Jon Simpson from the Purdue Club of Chicago.
>> The Purdue Alumni Association would like to congratulate --
>> The 2008 Special Boilermaker Award went
to Barb Frazee and Scott Mandernack.
Frazee is Executive Director of Purdue Housing and Food Services
and a 1981 CFS graduate.
Mandernack is head librarian at the Hicks Undergraduate Library.
>> And our first award goes to --
>> At its Annual Alumni Leaders Day,
Purdue Calumet honored 21 alumni with outstanding alumni awards.
>> What great night for a celebration --
>> And to top off alumni awards for the year,
the President's Council and the Purdue Alumni Association joined
forces to present major honors
to several valued alumni and friends.
>> And thanks for the memories.
>> Joe Rudolph, a 1948 Liberal Arts graduate,
received the Distinguished Alumni Service Citation
for his role as past executive director
of the Purdue Alumni Association and advocate
for the John Purdue Club.
>> But this means a lot to Sandy, me, and our family.
>> 1964 Management graduate, Dick Dauch,
was honored with the Distinguished Family
of the Year Award.
The Dauch family has supported the University in many ways,
including contributions for the Dauch Alumni Center.
>> Hail, Purdue!
>> Tom Spurgeon on, a 1961 one Industrial Management graduate,
received the Alumni Citizenship Award.
Spurgeon also supports Purdue in many ways,
including contributions for the Spurgeon Golf Training Center
and the Spurgeon Hall of Spirit in the Dauch Alumni Center.
He also serves on the Board of Trustees.
>> Hail, Purdue.
>> For his extraordinary loyalty in supporting the vision
and mission of Purdue, Roger Gatewood,
a 1968 Mechanical Engineering graduate,
received the Distinguished Individual Philanthropist Award.
>> I receive this award on behalf of --
>> Six corporations making a significant impact on Purdue
as Partners for the Advancement
of CADCAM Education were recognized
with the Distinguished Corporate Partner Award.
The companies include General Motors, Autodesk, EDS,
Hewlett Packard, Siemens PLM Software, and Sun Microsystems.
Finally, the Reagan Street Foundation was honored
with the Distinguished Foundation Partner Award
for helping shape the vision and mission of the University.
>> To get your mind to wander --
>> English professor Robert Lamb was named 2008 Indiana Professor
of the Year by the Council for the Advancement
and Support of Education.
Lamb was cited for excellence
in undergraduate teaching and mentoring.
Since the award was created in 1987, Purdue has won 10 times.
>> [Cheering] Homecoming 2008 featured President Cordova
leading the band to the stadium.
And two important dedications.
A purposely unfinished, eight-foot tall bronze sculpture
of Purdue's Block P was dedicated next to Academy Park.
>> A student conceived of the idea of a Block P Memorial
to students who attended Purdue,
but passed away before graduating.
The unfinished Block P symbolizes the call, also,
to be lifelong learners.
It also symbolizes our lifelong connection with our University.
>> Two, three.
[Cheering]
>> The 1958 and 1959 alumni classes joined forces
to fund a new campus landmark on the walkway next
to the Armstrong Hall of Engineering.
Dubbed the gateway to the future,
the arch commemorates the 50th anniversary of both classes.
They raised more than half a million dollars
for construction, plus another 150 thousand for scholarships.
>> Both classes wanted to do more
than create a physical testament to their days at Purdue.
They wanted to influence our students,
so they raised enough money to fund this gateway
and significant student scholarships.
And thus they have built another gateway to the future.
>> The 2008 Homecoming King and Queen --
>> Lauren Mioton of New Orleans became the first student athlete
named Homecoming Queen.
She's on the women's basketball team.
Sam Utley of Haubstadt was voted King.
The Indiana University Purdue / University Indianapolis campus
dedicated a new five-story campus center in January.
The center hosts a multitude of special events
and gives students a place to study, relax, and eat.
[Cheering] Two IPFW staff dashed through the spray as part
of a dedication of the Connie and Dan Dickey Alumni Fountain
at Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne.
The ceremony highlighted the Tenth Anniversary Mastodon Roast
at IPFW.
Jon Laski, an IUPUI senior from Torrance, California,
won the 2008 Grand Prix.
The race ended under a yellow flag lap run
by only the top five karts following a wreck
that momentarily stopped the race.
This was the last race at the track north of Ross-Ade Stadium.
It'll be replaced by a new track at the corner
of McCormick Road and Cherry Lane.
[Music] Purdue's orientation program.
Boiler Gold Rush attracted a record 5400 plus students,
including transfers for the first time.
>> That's better.
That's very nice --
>> Emma Preuschl he will became the first Purdue graduate
to compete in rowing at the Paralympics.
She won a silver medal in the legs, trunk,
and arms mixed-four despite suffering from Erb's Palsy
which limits the strength and range of motion in her left arm.
>> It's quite an honor to be representing the United States
and to switch over from black and gold
to red, white, and blue.
It's something that I probably will never forget.
>> Two Purdue students represented the United States
at the Olympic Games: Senior Kara Patterson in javelin,
and freshman David Boudia in diving.
[Background noise].
The Joe Tiller Era at Purdue came to a close in grand style
with a 62 to 10 trouncing of Indiana.
This was the most lopsided victory over IU since 1893.
Senior Kory Sheets broke the single-season record
for rushing touchdowns and grabbed the number two slot
in school history for career rushing yards.
>> Kory Sheets on the carry --
>> Senior Curtis Painter ended his career third
in Big 10 history for total offense.
Tiller finished his 12-year run as head coach
with an 87 and 62 record.
At the end of the game, Tiller took an ice water bath
and directed the band.
He also shared some emotional comments.
>> First and foremost, I want
to thank all the Boilermaker family, all of our fans,
all of our alumni, all of our friends.
I wish the players weren't here.
I say that because, when the players are here I have a
difficult time.
[ Cheering ]
>> The game is always about the players, number one.
They say when you leave a place, it's not what you take with you,
but rather what you leave behind.
Hopefully we'll have some great memories.
>> [Cheering] Despite fielding a young team of mostly freshmen
and sophomores, men's basketball advanced to the second round
of the NCAA tournament in 2007-2008 eight.
The Boilers finished with 25 wins and 9 losses.
[Cheering] The 2008, 2009 team started with high hopes
for the Big 10 championship.
An improved offense plus the return
of Big 10 defensive Player of the Year, Chris Kramer,
helped the Boilers win its season
with 17 wins and 5 losses.
Despite key injuries,
the 2007-2008 women's basketball team repeated
as Big 10 tournament champions.
In the title game, the Boilers beat Illinois 58
to 56 at the buzzer.
This was Purdue's seventh tournament trophy.
[Cheering] In the NCAA,
Purdue fell to top-ranked Tennessee in the second round.
The team began the 2008-2009 season strong.
On the way to a 15 and 8 start,
the Boilers downed number four ranked Texas, 66 to 55.
The 2008 volleyball team advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16
for the third time in the last four seasons.
The Boilers beat Louisville
and Middle Tennessee State before losing to Hawaii.
Senior Stephanie Lynch was named First Team All American.
[ Singing ]
>> As it has for the last 75 years,
Purdue Musical Organizations closed the year
with its production of the Christmas Show.
William Griffel, formerly at Franklin Central High School
in Indianapolis, was named the new director of PMO in the fall.
[Music] During this 75th Christmas show,
130 alumni from every era of PMO history joined students on stage
for the six performances.
>> It's been a great year of firsts
and notable accomplishments for Purdue University.
We hope that you've enjoyed this recap
of everything gold and black for 2008.
Hail, Purdue!
>> [Singing] Hail, hail, to Old Purdue,
our friendship may she never lack.
Ever grateful, ever true, thus we raise our song anew,
of the days we spent with you.
All hail, our old Purdue!