Purdue University
| Purdue University |  |
|---|
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six campuses within the Purdue University System.[1] Purdue currently ranks 66th among America's Best 100 Colleges according to U.S. News & World Report. Purdue also makes the list of the Top 100 Global Universities. Though Purdue offers many diverse majors, it is perhaps best known for the Purdue University College of Engineering. With its highly competitive engineering curriculum and its leading programs in aviation and aerospace, Purdue is often regarded as one of the top technology schools in the world. The university was responsible for developing several inovations, such as the Wiki, and produced pioneers of robotics and remote control technology .
Purdue has claimed many notable accomplishments since its founding. It was the first university globally to have ever offered an aeronautics program. Currently, the university's School of Aeronautics and Astronautics is ranked 4th within the United States. The school has also securing a #1 ranking as being recruited the most by employers of the aerospace and defense industries in America. Purdue's Krannert School of Management is another highly regarded school at the university, ranked as one of the best management schools in the country according to U.S. News & World Report. Politically, Purdue University has been connected to U.S President Benjamin Harrison, who served on Purdue's board of trustees from July 1895 to March 1901.
Purdue University was founded on May 6, 1869 as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and money from Lafayette businessman John Purdue to establish a college of science, technology, and agriculture in his name. The first classes were held on September 16, 1874, with three buildings, six instructors, and 39 students.Today, Purdue enrolls the largest student body of any university in Indiana and the largest international student population of any public university in the United States. The university's Discovery Park and Purdue Research Park are home to hundreds of medical, biotechnology, and nanotechnology laboratories and companies.
Purdue offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in over 200 major areas of study. The university has been influential in America's history of aviation, having established the first college credit offered in flight training, the first four-year bachelor's degree in aviation, and the first university airport (Purdue University Airport). In the mid-20th century, Purdue's aviation program expanded to encompass advanced spaceflight technology giving rise to Purdue's nickname, Cradle of Astronauts. Twenty-two of Purdue's graduates are astronauts, including Neil Armstrong, Eugene Cernan, and Gus Grissom.
History
Founding and early years
In 1865, the Indiana General Assembly took advantage of the Morrill Act, and began plans to establish an institution with a strong focus on engineering. John Purdue, a Lafayette business leader and philanthropist (buried at Purdue), sought to help establish a "land grant" college in Indiana. The state of Indiana received a gift of $150,000 from John Purdue, along with $50,000 from Tippecanoe County, and 150 acres (0.6 km²) of land from Lafayette residents in support of the project. On May 6, 1869, it was decided that the college would be founded near the city of Lafayette and legislators established the institution as Purdue University, in the name of the institution’s principal benefactor.
Classes first began at Purdue on September 16, 1874 with three buildings, six instructors, and 39 students. Purdue issued its first degree, a Bachelor of Science in chemistry, in 1875. The first female students were admitted to the university in the fall of the same year. By Purdue's third president, Emerson E. White, a vision was set forth for Purdue University to be a leader within its field, not a follower.
The 20th century - Aviation and Aeronautics
Purdue University is well known for its diverse majors in aerospace. It is one of the highest rated aeronautical universities in the world, even ranking up with the United States Air Force Academy, a military-backed institution. Purdue was the first university in America to award a four-year bachelor's degree in aviation. Purdue is also recognized today as one of the top ranked flight schools in the nation.
J. Clifford Turpin, from the class of 1908, was the first Purdue graduate to become an aviator, and received flight instruction from Orville Wright. In 1919 George W. Haskins became the first alumnus to land an aircraft on campus.
In 1930 Purdue became the first university in the country to offer college credit for flight training, and later became the first university to open its own airport, the Purdue University Airport. Famed aviator Amelia Earhart came to Purdue in 1935 and served as a "Counselor on Careers for Women," a staff position she held until her disappearance in 1937. Purdue played a meaningful role in Earhart's ill-fated "Flying Laboratory" project, providing funds for the Lockheed L-10 Electra aircraft she intended to fly around the world. Purdue's libraries maintain an extensive Earhart collection, which is still studied today by those seeking to solve the mystery of her disappearance. Purdue later named a residence hall in her honor, which is lined with Earhart pictures and articles.
Today, Purdue University's Aviation Flight Technology Program is one of the best nationwide. Annually, only 60 students are admitted into this exclusive and selective program. No other University has a corporate flight department built into the University to provide private aircraft for faculty and staff. Every aviation flight student at Purdue has the opportunity to pilot one of the 3 corporate aircraft Purdue has flying VIPs and other dignitaries around the nation.
Over the past ten years, Purdue’s School of Aeronautics and Astronautics has awarded more aerospace engineering degrees than any other institution in the country, issuing 6% of all undergraduate degrees and 7% of all Ph.D. degrees. These alumni have led significant advances in research and development of aerospace technology, headed major corporations and government agencies, and have established an amazing record for exploration of space.
Campus
Purdue Mall
The Purdue Mall is the main, central quad area of Purdue University. The three most prominent features of the Purdue Mall are the Purdue Bell Tower, the Water Sculpture Fountain, and the Frederick L. Hovde Hall of Administration.
Bell Tower
The Purdue Bell Tower was constructed in 1995, at Purdue University, through a gift from the class of 1948. It is considered an icon of the university and can be found on many Purdue logos and those of the cities of West Lafayette, Indiana and Lafayette, Indiana.
The current Bell Tower's inspiration comes from the bell tower that was part of the old Heavilon Hall, demolished in 1956. The new tower stands 160 feet (49 m) tall, and like the original, has a clock on each of four faces. The bells from the original tower hang at the top of the current tower, and a computerized carillon now marks every half hour and also plays Purdue's fight songs and the alma mater. There is also a time capsule located at the base of the tower that is to be opened in 2095.
Water Sculpture Fountain
The Water Sculpture Fountain is centrally located in the Purdue Mall at Purdue University. Designed by Robert Youngman, the fountain was a gift from the class of 1939. The fountain was dedicated in 1989. The fountain stands 38 feet (12 m) tall and is made of 228 tons of concrete. It jets 588 gallons of water per minute into the air. Colored lights illuminate the water during the evening. Originally built with an open jet shooting straight up into the air, students soon made the tradition of running through the fountain on warm days.
Memorial Mall
The Purdue Memorial Mall is located south of the Purdue Mall and is generally considered the older part of campus. A popular meeting place for students, the Memorial Mall contains the Purdue Memorial Union, Stewart Student Center, University Hall (the oldest building on campus), and John Purdue's gravesite.
Memorial Gymnasium/Felix Haas Hall
The Memorial Gymnasium (now named Felix Haas Hall) was constructed in 1909 in memory of the 17 Purdue University football players, coaches, alumni, and fans who perished in the Purdue Wreck on October 31, 1903 (see List of pre-1950 rail accidents). In 1985 the building was renovated with offices and classrooms for the Computer Science department. In 2006, the building was renamed in honor of Felix Haas. A memorial plaque remains affixed to the exterior of the building in honor of those who died in 1903. The building is now shared by the Computer Science and Statistics departments.
University Hall
University Hall is the only building remaining from the original six-building campus. Construction began in 1871, where the building was known as "The Main Building". The building was dedicated in 1877 and the project cost $35,000 to complete. University Hall originally housed the office of the president, a chapel, and classrooms, but was remodeled in 1961 to house only the department of history. At the request of John Purdue, he was buried in the Memorial Mall, directly across from the main entrance of University Hall.
Cary Quadrangle
First known as Cary Hall, Cary Quadrangle opened in 1928 as a men's dormitory. Cary Quadrangle now has six buildings (southeast, southwest, east, west, northeast, and northwest), surrounding the open courtyard, known as Spitzer Court. In addition, the south/southeast building contains the Cary Knight Spot Grill.
Considered the "flagship" of Purdue University residences, Cary Quadrangle is still one of the largest all-male housing units in the country. In 2000, Cary Quadrangle began a $43.5 Million renovation plan.
Cary Quad was the location of the annual Nude Olympics at Purdue. The tradition died down after the University began threatening with expulsion any students who ran. Contestants ran laps around the courtyard of Cary nude on one of the coldest nights of the year; the person that endured the cold the longest was declared the winner.
Windsor Residence Halls
Consisting of five individual buildings (Duhme, Shealy, Wood, Warren and Vawter), Windsor Halls is the oldest all-women's residence hall complex at Purdue. Each individual building is designed so that each room of every hall would receive sunlight at some point in the day. There is also a student-accessible tunnel that connects Duhme, Shealy, Wood, Warren and Vawter.
- Duhme Hall, originally 'South Hall,' was opened in 1934 and named after Ophelia Duhme.
- Shealy Hall, originally 'North Hall,' was opened in 1937 and named after Frances Shealy.
- Wood Hall was opened in 1939 and named after Elizabeth Wood.
- Warren Hall, originally 'D Hall,' was opened in 1951 and named after Martha Warren.
- Vawter Hall, originally 'E Hall,' was also opened in 1951, and is named after Everette Vawter.
Edward C. Elliott Hall of Music
The Edward C. Elliott Hall of Music is located on the Purdue University campus in West Lafayette, Indiana. It has a seating capacity of 6,025 and is one of the largest proscenium theaters in the world. The facility is named after Edward C. Elliott (1874-1960), who served as President of Purdue University from 1922-1945.
The Pudue Concert Committee (PCC) often elects and invites various big name entertainment. Purdue students and faculity are able to purchase tickets a day before the tickets are offered to the general public. They also receive a student and faculity discount. The auditorium offers seating on a main level and on dual balconies.
Slayter Center of Performing Arts
The Slayter Center of Performing Arts is an outdoor concert band shell located on the main campus of Purdue University, completed in 1964 and dedicated May 1, 1965. The facility was a gift from Games Slayter and his wife Marie.
The natural amphitheater created by "Slayter Hill" can hold an estimated 20,000 people. Architect Joseph Baker used Stonehenge in England as a basis for the concept of Slayter Center. The 200-ton concrete roof is suspended from a tall steel tripod by stainless steel cables. The stage can seat a 100+ player orchestra. Below the stage are a rehearsal room, dressing rooms and storage facilities. "Slayter Hill" is also more popularly used in the winter time as a large sledding hill for students when it snows.
Mackey Arena
Mackey Arena is a 14,123-seat multi-purpose arena in West Lafayette, Indiana. The arena opened in 1967. It is home to the Purdue Boilermakers basketball team. It is named after Purdue alumnus and long time athletic director Guy "Red" Mackey.[25]
Ross-Ade Stadium
Ross-Ade Stadium is a stadium primarily used for American football, and is the home field of the Purdue Boilermakers. The stadium is named for David E. Ross and George Ade, the principal benefactors. Ross-Ade Stadium opened on November 22, 1924 with a seating capacity of 13,500 and standing room for an additional 5,000 people. A series of additions and renovations pushed the seating capacity to 70,000. In 2001 Purdue began a massive $70 million dollar renovation, which led to a reduced seating capacity of 62,500. But for some reason Ross Ade has never been fitted with actual lights, a set of temporary lights is used for all night games.
No comments:
Post a Comment