Lafayette Online » Purdue Student Union Board

60th annual Books and Coffee focuses on coming of age in America

Carolyn Shelby — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 04:03:21 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University’s weekly February Books and Coffee series will feature books from the 21st century that focus on coming of age in the United States, a theme driven by Purdue’s first Common Reading selection, which will open the series on Feb. 4, 2010.

The 60th annual Books and Coffee, which is free and open to the public, will take place on the West Lafayette campus in Stewart Center, Rooms 302/306. The event begins at 4 p.m. when tea, coffee and hot cocoa are available. The talks by faculty members begin at 4:30 p.m., and the event concludes at 5 p.m. with a free drawing for prizes, including books and sweatshirts donated by local merchants.

The 2010 discussions will include:

Feb. 4. Barbara Dixon, associate dean for the College of Liberal Arts, will talk about Bich Minh Nguyen’s “Stealing Buddha’s Dinner.” The book was selected for Purdue’s first Common Reading program, and a copy of the book was given to each incoming freshman. After the talk, author Bich Nguyen, also a Purdue faculty member, will be available to sign her recently released “Short Girls.” Copies will be available to purchase through Von’s Bookstore.
Feb. 11. Donald Platt, poet and professor of English, will talk about Annie Proulx’s most recent book “Fine Just the Way It Is, Wyoming Stories 3.” Proulx, also author of the short story that inspired the film “Brokeback Mountain,” will speak at the Purdue’s Literary Awards event on April 22. An additional prize to this week’s raffle will be a copy of the book signed by author Annie Proulx.
Feb. 18. George Bodner, A. Kelly Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, will talk about Daniel Wallace’s “Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician.”
Feb. 25. Rick Johnson-Sheehan, professor of English, will talk about Barack Obama’s “Dreams from My Father,” selected by popular e-vote by the Student English Association and Purdue students.

Books and Coffee is sponsored by the Purdue Student Union Board and the Department of English. More information is available on the Book and Coffee series at http://www.cla.purdue.edu/English/bookscoffee/

Purdue Memorial Union ushers in season with tree, festivities

Carolyn Shelby — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:52:30 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The holiday season at Purdue University will start Monday (Dec. 7) with the arrival of a 30-foot-tall Christmas tree at the Memorial Union’s Great Hall.

The 2008 PMU Christmas Tree (Photo by Po-Kai Huang)

The Colorado blue spruce tree, which is scheduled to arrive at the Union at noon, is a donation from Jean Haywood and John Ward of Lafayette. It’s one of the largest indoor Christmas trees in Indiana.

The Purdue Student Union Board will decorate the tree on Monday evening. Students and Purdue Memorial Union dining services also will be building a 12-foot-tall gingerbread house in the Great Hall through Friday (Dec. 4).

Purdue President France A. Córdova will light the tree at 11:15 a.m. Tuesday (Dec. 8).

“The holiday events at the Union bring the community together and help us become aware of other cultures and traditions,” said Margie Tucker, program manager at the Purdue Memorial Union. “While the Purdue Student Union Board represents Christmas with the tree, we also showcase Kwanza, Hanukah, Chinese New Year and holidays throughout the year in Russia and Italy as part of our Holidays Around the World celebration.

“At a university of the size and with the diversity of Purdue, it’s necessary for students to understand, appreciate and support other cultures that make up its population.”

The Purdue Student Union Board is arranging the 12th annual Holidays Around the World from 3-7 p.m. Wednesday (Dec. 9) in the Union’s South Ballroom. Various international student groups will set up booths with displays about their cultures and different holidays during the year. Students from around the world also will make presentations.

Participating groups include La Milonguera Argentinean Tango Club, the Chinese calligraphy club, Polish Student Organization, Purdue University Malaysian Student Association, German Culture Club, Pagan Academic Network, Sigma Delta Pi – Spanish Honor Society, Black Cultural Center, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the Hillel Foundation.

As part of the celebration, local musicians and schools will perform holiday songs in the Great Hall from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Dec. 8-11. Performing groups include Tippecanoe Christian School, Marla’s Music, West Lafayette High School Concert Choir, Lafayette Christian School Jr. High Choir, Purdue Brass Choir, Oakland and Murdock Elementary Choir, Western Varsity Choir & Western Jazz, Faith Christian School, and Mintonye Elementary.

Breakfast with Santa, an event where children can get their pictures taken with Santa, will take place from 8-10:30 a.m. Dec. 12 in the Great Hall. The breakfast is $2.50 for three pancakes, two sausage links and juice or milk. Coffee, tea and hot chocolate will be available for an additional dollar.

Holiday Crafts, a free craftmaking session, is from 9 a.m. to noon the same day in Room 118, next to the Great Hall.

For additional details on the events, visit http://www.union.purdue.edu/psub

Students invited to submit designs for homecoming T-shirt

Carolyn Shelby — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:21:52 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue Student Union Board is hosting a design contest for the 2009 Homecoming T-shirt.

The contest is open only to Purdue students, and the winner will receive $200 in free textbooks from Follett’s bookstores.

Students can find the competition’s rules from the Student Union Board office in Room 268 of the Purdue Memorial Union, or online at http://www.union.purdue.edu/HTML/PSUB

The contest gives students the chance to get involved with Homecoming as well as showcase their artistic abilities.

Submissions solicited for the annual Purdue Battle of the Bands

Carolyn Shelby — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:42:15 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue Student Union Board will accept demo CDs from March 9-27 for its annual Battle of the Bands competition.

Bands submitting CDs must include at least one Purdue student who is 18 years or older. There is a submission fee of $15, and the CDs must be physically dropped off at Room 268 of the Purdue Memorial Union. Each band must submit at least two songs for review. The top five bands will compete live at 10 p.m. April 24 at the Recreational Sports Center in the 10th annual Battle of the Bands contest.

The bands will be critiqued on their stage presence, quality of sound, originality, cohesiveness and overall impression, said Eric Glover, director of concerts with the Purdue Student Union Board. The winning band will receive $250, the runner-up $150, and the third place band $100, Glover said.

“This is a great way for local bands to gain exposure and to compete against one another for cash prizes,” Glover said. “It’s also a great chance for students to come and see the talent we have on campus.”

The Battle of the Bands will take place in conjunction with Carnival Night, another event organized by the Purdue Student Union Board, which features carnival games, food and prizes, Glover said.

PSUB Battle of the Bands features five Greater Lafayette groups

Carolyn Shelby — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:33:44 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Five Lafayette-West Lafayette area bands will face off Friday (April 18) in the Battle of the Bands sponsored by the Purdue Student Union Board.

The competition, which has been held since 1999, will take place from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Recreational Sports Center on Purdue’s West Lafayette campus. Battle of the Bands is free and open to the public.

The event will feature The Fastest Kid Alive, Project Hero, The Educated Guess, GWAP Team and Debris. All of the bands have at least one Purdue student member.

Special guest performers Oh Discretion! will kick off the show. Tara Madison and Jake from the Z96.5 Morning Zoo will serve as the emcees for the evening.

During the Battle of the Bands, a panel of judges will judge the bands on overall impression, cohesiveness, originality, stage presence and quality of sound. First prize is $250, second prize is $150 and third prize is $100.

The battle is part of this year’s Grand Alternative, a week of substance-free activities leading up to the annual Grand Prix celebration.

Lafayette Online » Purdue Student Union Board

60th annual Books and Coffee focuses on coming of age in America

In Related News:

Purdue Memorial Union ushers in season with tree, festivities

In Related News:

Students invited to submit designs for homecoming T-shirt

In Related News:

Submissions solicited for the annual Purdue Battle of the Bands

In Related News:

PSUB Battle of the Bands features five Greater Lafayette groups

In Related News: