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One year ago, Asumani Gregoire used a computer for the very first time. In May, the freshman at Purdue Polytechnic High School will compete against 800 other teams at the VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas, Texas.

The Purdue Memorial Union’s renovated ground floor looks like an entirely different space to most visitors. But when they see the many nods to Purdue and PMU history embedded within the new layout, even staunch Purdue traditionalists can find elements to appreciate about the additions to the century-old building.

For Joanne Troutner, Purdue University is more than her alma mater. It’s a family. She describes Purdue as a launchpad — “A place where I was allowed to be excellent.”
“How could I not want to give back?” she asks, voice ripe with sincerity.

The passion is pure. You can see it in Jennifer Dobbs-Oates’ ear-to-ear grin and hear it in her spirited voice.

One of the proudest achievements of Melinda Zook’s career is implementing the Cornerstone Integrated Liberal Arts program, which encourages Purdue’s undergraduate students to broaden their understanding of the world and strengthen their communication and critical-thinking skills through general education courses.

As far back as Milind Kulkarni can remember, he wanted to be the student in class who knew the answers to all of the teacher’s questions. As an instructor, he is driven by pursuit of the a-ha moment where a student finally grasps the complex concept he’s conveying.

Aerospace and aeronautics professor William Crossley is energized by the strong desire of his current students looking to make an impact on the world and is proud of the industry contributions from hundreds of alums who sat in his classroom five, 10 or 20 years ago.

Danny Milisavljevic dreams of giving every Purdue undergraduate student the opportunity to look through a telescope before they graduate. With the new Astro-Boilermaker Telescope and observatory at his disposal, Milisavljevic might someday be able to provide that invaluable learning opportunity.

Beth Hess has been there, done that. That’s why she feels so strongly about the importance of connecting course concepts with real-world applications.

Jason Ware prioritizes personal connections with his students and focuses on mentoring, both in and out of the classroom. Ultimately, Ware wants his students to cultivate their sense and concept of humanity – and he wants them to realize the impact they can have on the world around them.

The goal of Purdue animal sciences professor Elizabeth Karcher is to motivate students and challenge them with new concepts and learning experiences. Paying forward the role as mentor, she makes every effort to walk with her students through the process of developing a research project and presenting at national meetings.