Purdue’s France Córdova explains what’s so great about being a Boilermaker:

• Tell us something that not enough people know about your college or university that makes it such a special place.

Three points come to mind immediately. First, the Purdue brand is a global one; Purdue’s star shines brightly no matter how far one travels from Indiana. As president I have had the opportunity to meet alumni across the globe, and I’ve seen that Purdue graduates are highly successful leaders in business, government, education, and cultural and civic affairs worldwide. Their contributions have been transformational. This makes Purdue special—its graduates have traveled as far as the Moon, and made an impact wherever they have landed.

Second, Purdue focuses on its students. Purdue is a large university, but its colleges, residence halls, and student organizations allow students to enjoy the benefits of a large university and, at the same time, feel the closeness of a smaller institution. Alumni tell me that what they remember most about their Purdue years is that faculty, staff and friends encouraged and challenged them, and would not let them fail. When they graduated, they had confidence and knew they could compete with anyone. 

As Purdue enters a new decade, we are implementing a strategic plan that is focused on launching our students to be tomorrow’s leaders. We are examining the entire learning experience, beginning with admissions standards to ensure proper preparation, thematic learning communities, and orientation programs to build social networks and enhance retention. We have developed technology that alerts students if their grades are slipping so that they can modify behaviors before it’s too late. We are also expanding our scholarship program, with a blend of need-based and merit-based awards. We give our students the skills, experiences and high-quality education to become leaders, scholars, entrepreneurs, and well-informed citizens.

Finally, we connect our students to Purdue’s storied past. Our alumni have remained close to their alma mater, and they help our students both enjoy the college experience and reach for big goals, just as they did. We connect our present and past students through our many traditions. First-year freshman or 40-year alumnus, we are all Boilermakers.

Hail Purdue! 

Tomorrow: Indiana State’s Daniel J. Bradley