WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University on Friday (Sept. 11) reported its enrollment numbers and that the system-wide total increased this year.

Purdue’s total enrollment, which includes the West Lafayette campus, Purdue Calumet, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Purdue North Central and the statewide technology sites, is 74,319 compared to 71,984 a year ago. More than 54,000 – or nearly 73 percent – of the students are Indiana residents.

“The growing enrollment at the regional campuses demonstrates there are multiple pathways to a Purdue education,” Purdue President France A. Córdova said.

Statewide campus enrollment totals include:

• Purdue Calumet, 10,133
• Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, 13,675
• Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, 4,964 enrolled in Purdue programs
• Purdue North Central, 4,463
• Statewide Technology, 1,387. College of Technology degrees are offered in Anderson/Muncie, Columbus/Greensburg, Indianapolis, Kokomo, Lafayette, New Albany, Richmond, South Bend and Vincennes.

Purdue also reported that the academic quality of its freshman class at the West Lafayette campus increased for the fourth year in a row.

This year’s freshman class of 6,171 students is composed of 3,808 Indiana residents, 1,673 U.S. non-residents and 690 international students. SAT scores for this freshman class increased by 11 points: eight points for math, one point for critical reading and two for writing. This year’s increase comes on the heels of the 13-point increase attained by last year’s incoming freshmen for a cumulative increase of 24 points over the two-year period. The average high school grade point average this year remained at 3.5.

“Our freshman class is well prepared to succeed at Purdue,” said Randy Woodson, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. “I am very excited to see what these students will be able to accomplish while they are here.”

Overall, almost 10,000 Indiana residents applied for freshman admission to the West Lafayette campus, and all but about 200 were offered admission within the Purdue system.

“The economy has been an issue for all colleges and universities this year, and despite these tough times, Purdue’s West Lafayette campus had its second highest application volume ever,” said Pamela Horne, assistant vice president for enrollment management and dean of admissions. “I think the value of a Purdue degree is clear.”

The value of a Purdue degree also continues to be recognized internationally. The number of international undergraduate students at the West Lafayette campus increased from 2,360 last year to 2,818 this year.

The continued interest in Purdue from international students is a sign of Purdue’s outstanding international reputation, said Michael Brzezinski, interim vice provost for global affairs and dean of international programs. In addition, the presence of students from all over the world enhances the experience for Indiana and other American students.

“This prepares Purdue graduates to compete and cooperate in a global economy,” he said. “International students also become Purdue alumni, and they often return to their home countries where they share their positive experiences in America and Indiana.”

Other West Lafayette enrollment highlights:

• Total undergraduates: 31,145
• Undergraduate residency: Indiana students, 20,079; U.S. non-Indiana students, 8,248; and International students, 2,818
• Ethnicity overall: African-American students, 1,360; Hispanic students, 1,107; Native American students, 183; and Asian American students, 2,010
• Total international students: 5,990
• Graduate school: 7,639
• Professional programs (Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy): 913
• Incoming transfer students: 1,253
• Women: 16,731, and men, 22,966

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue College of Technology at Lafayette is holding a workshop May 16 to provide job search, financial and educational resources for those in the community who have recently lost their jobs.

Reach New Heights will be from 10 a.m. to noon at the Subaru of Indiana Automotive Training and Reception Center, 5500 Indiana 38 E. in Lafayette.

Representatives from WorkOne will discuss how and where to search for a job, and experts will present information about how to prepare resumes and cover letters, as well as how to prepare for a job interview. In addition, Industrial Federal Credit Union representatives will discuss how to pay bills during a downtime and how to budget and save money.

Purdue representatives also will offer information and answer questions. The College of Technology at Lafayette will have staff on hand to discuss the programs offered and how to enroll in classes. Financial aid representatives will be available to answer questions about how to afford higher education, how to apply for financial aid and how to receive scholarships. In addition, a student panel from the college will offer information and answer questions from those considering taking courses at the Lafayette location.

The College of Technology at Lafayette, located at Subaru of Indiana Automotive, offers certificate programs, associate degrees and bachelor’s degrees in industrial technology and organizational leadership and supervision. Courses are offered days and evenings and via distance learning.

For additional information, contact the College of Technology at Lafayette at 765-494-6886, techlafayette@purdue.edu, or go online to http://www.tech.purdue.edu/lafayette/

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A group of Purdue University students has created an interactive Web site they hope will help students see the benefits of continuing their education.

Ronald Glotzbach, an assistant professor of computer graphics technology, and several of his students have developed a Web site available at http://www.sticktoschool.com . The site is geared toward high school students who may be debating whether or not to earn their diplomas or pursue a college degree.

“Not having a high school diploma can put you at a severe disadvantage in terms of finding a good job or finding a career,” he said. “Our goal with this Web site is to create something that students will enjoy using and, at the same time, will give them good, valuable information that will inspire them.”

Glotzbach and his students, led by Laura Kellogg, a graduate student in computer graphics technology, designed and developed the content and graphics for the site and performed research on the featured careers.

They also developed two interactive games for the site: “Welcome to Opus City” and “Stick to School: The Game.”

“Opus City” allows the player to travel around a fictional city full of challenges and job choices. The goal is to keep a character called “the Benefactor” happy by making wise decisions. “Stick to School” is designed like a board game, where players first decide whether to stay in school or drop out, then take turns moving their car around the board, encountering various real-life scenarios based on their choice. The player with the most money at the end wins.

The Web site focuses on the six basic types of jobs most people choose based on their personality type: realistic (working with animals, tools or machines); investigative (scientific or math-based jobs); artistic (dancer, actor, musician); social (jobs helping people, such as teachers or counselors); enterprising (sales, real estate agent, lawyer); or conventional (mail carrier, bookkeeper, secretary, bank teller).

Web site users can click on each job type and find out what kind of jobs someone with those interests might be able to pursue in addition to what kind of education each job within that category requires and a typical salary. For instance, by clicking on the “investigative” job heading, a user could choose the “hospital” category, then get information on jobs that require a high school education and jobs that require a four-year degree or more.

“The design is meant to inspire students and to let them know that no matter what their interests or talents, there is a career that is right for them, and the more education you have, the more options there are available to you,” Glotzbach said.

Other features of the Web site include an e-mentor section, in which students can ask questions about education or careers that will be answered by professionals at 20/20 Inner Vision Inc., the nonprofit organization that spearheaded the Web site’s creation; inspirational stories from those whose lives have been changed by pursuing educational goals; dropout statistics; and a lessons section where teachers and counselors can download educational videos to show students.

Future plans for the site include videos of workers in a variety of trades who will talk about the benefits of their career and what kind of education it takes to pursue the path they chose.

Glotzbach said the idea for the Web site came from Craig MacFarlane, an inspirational speaker and the president of 20/20 InnerVision Inc., a Zionsville, Ind., nonprofit foundation dedicated to improving the U.S. high school graduation rate.

MacFarlane was blinded after an accident when he was 2 years old and went on to compete in a variety of sports, including wrestling, skiing, waterskiing, golf and track, winning more than 100 gold medals. He says his success comes from a technique called muscle memory, in which he uses his “inner vision” to train his other senses to compensate for his lack of sight. MacFarlane studied law at Carlton University and earned a stockbroker’s license.

He said he has been concerned about the high dropout rate in many communities and created 20/20 Inner Vision to help improve students’ self-esteem, study and life skills, and remove barriers that prevent them from getting an education.

“I’ve talked to more than 2,500 schools over the past 20 years about the importance of education and not giving up on your dreams,” MacFarlane said. “This is something I am passionate about, and I want to use my story to help inspire others. There have been so many unsung heroes in my life that helped me, and I want to do the same thing for others.”

He said he chose Purdue because he had heard about the work of the College of Technology’s computer graphics technology department.

“Creating this Web site is a great way to inspire young people that may ordinarily slip through the cracks and give them hope that anything is possible,” MacFarlane said.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A record number of students have enrolled in classes the past two semesters at the Purdue University College of Technology’s location at Lafayette, officials have reported.

Jon Aull, location director for the College of Technology at Indianapolis and Lafayette, said enrollments reached all-time highs in both the fall 2007 and spring 2008 semesters. In the fall, 268 students were enrolled, up 23 percent from fall 2006. This spring, 210 students were enrolled, up 14 percent from spring 2007.

Michele Summers, assistant director of the Lafayette location, said the increase in enrollment is due to increased marketing efforts in addition to strong partnerships with local employers.

“We are open to all students but are focused primarily on nontraditional students who are working but want to further their education,” she said. “We offer classes at night and at their workplaces, so we are making every effort to meet the needs of the people of Lafayette.”

The College of Technology at Lafayette is located at the Subaru of Indiana Automotive facility on Indiana 38 and also offers classes at Wabash National Corp., Fairfield Manufacturing Co. Inc., Caterpillar Inc. and in Frankfort.

The Lafayette location offers certificate programs, associate degrees and bachelor’s degrees in industrial technology and organizational leadership and supervision.

For more information about registration and degree programs offered at the College of Technology at Lafayette, call (765) 496-6886, e-mail techlafayette@purdue.edu or visit http://www.tech.purdue.edu/lafayette/

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University’s College of Technology honored 11 of its graduates as Distinguished Technology Alumni on Friday (April 11) during a ceremony at the Ross-Ade Stadium Shively Club.

Jen Bahan, Ron Eller, Allen R. Glassburn, Thomas D. Hjertquist, Randall Ket, Jane A. Liedtke, Timothy John Martin, John E. McDonald, Jon R. Odom, John R. Schooler and Mark A. Stidham are being honored for their professional and personal success across the spectrum of technology fields.

“Each one of these 11 men and women have made significant contributions to a wide variety of fields and industries,” said Dean Dennis R. Depew. “These College of Technology alumni are proof that there is not one single successful path for our graduates, but instead there are many career options available to our students once they graduate from Purdue.”

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