Construction boom signals progress

Take a look around the Purdue University campus. The signs of progress are everywhere. Jackhammers, cranes, pavers and cement trucks may seem to outnumber the students and faculty on campus this summer, but the changes being made on the Purdue landscape will have a positive impact for years to come.

As frustrating as the summer’s campuswide construction projects are for those who work on or visit campus, the end results will be well worth the minor detour and parking headaches they may have caused.

New facilities such as Pfendler Hall and the Birck Nanotechnology Center, located just west of the Purdue Agriculture campus in Discovery Park, are being built with state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms. The beautifully designed Dick and Sandy Dauch Alumni Center, located on Wood Street, is home to the Purdue Alumni Association and the University Development Office, and it is a must-see for alumni returning to campus.

Even the venerable Purdue Memorial Union has a new energy due to the removal of the reflecting pool, a newly landscaped entrance, and the renovations to Pappy’s Sweet Shop.

There are more construction projects under way than at any time in Purdue’s history, according to Purdue President Martin C. Jischke.

With all that hammering, it may be easy to overlook a new project in the works in one of the oldest buildings on campus, Agricultural Administration.

“The Center for Student Leadership and Achievement will serve as the focal point for student activities and organizations in Agriculture, experiential learning, leadership and academic skill development, and global studies,” says Dale Whittaker, associate dean of agriculture and director of academic programs. “Renovation will begin as soon as private funding is in place.”

The center, to be located prominently on the first floor of the Agricultural Administration Building, will be the first point of contact for high school classes, prospective students and their parents, FFA and 4-H visitors, and others.

“It will also serve as the last point of contact, matching students to employers, preparing students for professional and graduate schools, and providing community leadership opportunities through service learning,” Whittaker says.

As a way to support tomorrow’s leaders, Vic and Grayce Lechtenberg have established the Vic and Grayce Lechtenberg Student Leadership Fund to encourage and recognize Purdue student leadership, both on and off campus.

The Lechtenbergs have always had the best interest of Purdue Agriculture and its students in their hearts and on their minds. Many of the programs needed to make the center a success will be supported by the Lechtenberg fund. Some of those programs could include:

• Student travel to leadership development activities, such as those sponsored by Agriculture Future of America, the National Agricultural Ambassadors Association, and the National Agricultural Councils.
  
• Programming for the College of Agriculture’s Leadership Certificate, including leadership retreats, invited speakers, professional individualized assessments, etc.
  
• Administration of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessments to all freshmen in agriculture along with orientation for its use (MBTI is a tool to help students understand communication preferences for themselves and others).
  
• Roundtable conference of leaders to address agricultural issues with students (sponsored by Ag Council; similar to AFA roundtable session).

The Lechtenbergs believe the Center for Student Leadership and Achievement will benefit the average student by offering one-on-one attention and access to resources for self-improvement. It will also assist students in advancing their careers in agriculture.

To learn more about supporting the Vic and Grayce Lechtenberg Student Leadership Fund, sponsoring a naming opportunity within the Center for Student Leadership and Achievement, or creating a legacy fund or endowment of your own, stop by any time or contact the development staff at:

715 West State Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2061
Phone: (765) 494-8672
Toll-free phone: (800) 718-0094
Fax: (765) 496-2544

Contact Bossung at whitehead@purdue.edu