“Dear Jennifer,
We are very happy to offer you admission to the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine’s D.V.M. Class of 2015. We hope that you learned enough about the advantages of the Purdue D.V.M. program during your interview to motivate you to accept our offer and become a member of the PVM family.
We look forward to hearing from you soon…”
The above is an excerpt from my acceptance letter to Purdue. You can imagine my surprise when I received it. Yes, I had already gotten a call, but holding the paper in my hands made me believe the unimaginable even more. Forms were quickly signed, usernames created, and I was on my way to becoming a Boilermaker. Something my dad is super excited about. I have to remind him that I will always be a Spartan as well. I will be both!
Some of you reading, (i.e. those of you from Michigan) don’t know the history of Purdue or what it has to offer. Here is some history about my next alma mater. (All information was found at http://www.purdue.edu)
In 1869, the city of Lafayette was chosen for the location of a Land Grant institution. John Purdue donated $150,000, and thus this institution was dubbed PURDUE UNIVERISTY. (Interesting fact: John Purdue is buried on the campus he loved so dearly). The first class to graduate from Purdue consisted of 14 students, far different than the 8,697 that did so in 2010. As a graduate student, starting in 2011, my statistics will go a little like this (these numbers are approximate, using 2010 data):
§ 1/40,000 students on campus
§ 1/9,000 graduate/professional level students
§ 1/84 veterinary students
§ 1/2,396 graduate/professional level students from Indiana, with 6,500 non-residents
The West Lafayette campus sits on approximately 2500 hundred acres, with the Veterinary Medicine taking up roughly 4.9% of this. The campus has 373 buildings, and I will be spending the majority of my time in one Lynn Hall.
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| Arial of Purdue University |
Every university has characteristics and landmarks that set it aside from any other; Purdue’s traditions do just that. Here are just a few staples:
· The Boilermaker moniker is recognized all over the world. The name was first coined in 1891 for the University’s football team, and has stuck ever since. An 18-foot bronzed statue, started in 2003, of a Boiler Maker stands on campus.
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| The Boilermaker |
· Purdue Pete became the official mascot for PU in 1956 is also recognized world-wide.
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| Old-School Purdue Pete |
· Black and gold serve as the official colors, adopted in 1887 after the captain of football team proposed them.
· With 62,500 seats, 34 suites, and a 200-seat indoor club and press box, Ross-Ade Stadium has got to be the home of Purdue Football. Ross-Ade was originally constructed in 1924, and has many make-overs to make it the stadium it is today.
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| Ross-Ade Stadium |
· Originally known as the “Big Ben of the Big Ten,” the Purdue Bell Tower looms 160-feet over the campus. The original tower was destroyed by a fire in Heavilon Hall, and was reconstructed starting in 1997.
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| Purdue Bell Tower |
· The Purdue Family is known for their dedication to life-long learning and self-improvement for all members. The Unfinished Block P symbolizes just this and was designed by Rick and Rita Hadley.
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| Dedication of Unfinished Block P in October 2008 |
In academics this year, Purdue was ranked among best in the country in the areas of engineering, education and business. Engineering was placed 11th, education ranked 43rd, and business placing 49th (tied with Michigan State!) The program I will be in, Purdue Veterinary Medicine (PVM), is ranked in the top half of veterinary schools in the United States.
Orientation was just this past week, and classes start Monday. It’s the real deal, and it’s time to Boiler Up!
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| "Continuum" Statue outside of Vet Med Lynn Hall |
