The Engineering Experience

     When I first visited Purdue with my family, I remember being worried while driving to campus. We kept getting closer, but there was no city or large town center popping up, just trees and fields. Coming from a big city near mountains, I was not sure about what there was to do or see around Purdue because there is not much within walking distance of campus. But during my time here, I have learned that even though West Lafayette may seem quaint and rural, there is always something to fill your time. Here is a list of some of the popular and lesser known things to do around campus or nearby in Indiana. The Lafayette Farmers Market      With the city of Lafayette only a bridge away from campus, many students spend their Saturdays at the Lafayette Farmers Market. The market always hosts local vendors, selling a vast array of products. You can stop in for some fresh baked goods, cute succulents for your dorm, and even live music. With all of the buses to and...

With over 50 percent of our student body originating from out of state, including myself, we understand the journey of transitioning to life here in Indiana can be nerve wracking. From adapting to the differences of Purdue's campus culture to embracing the fluctuating Midwest weather, I was able to pick up a few tips that might just make your transition to life at Purdue a tad smoother. So, as you get ready to start your Purdue journey, here are some things you should know. BGR Welcoming Indiana Weather For those from the sunnier states, let's address the elephant in the room first – the weather. Purdue experiences all four seasons in full swing. Summers are warm and pleasant, but winters can be chilly, with snow and strong winds. One minute it can be cool and sunny and 30 min later, windy and raining. Coming from Florida, anything below 50 degrees was freezing to me. With this being said, it was hard to know what to bring. I recommend packing for all temperatures, but most im...

Starting my journey as a freshman from South Florida, and not having any true connections, I wondered how I would be able to meet people on campus. However, within days of being on campus, Purdue provided me plenty of opportunities to get involved and connected with other students. One avenue that I took advantage of was through the various living learning communities, including EPICS, Data Mine, and Women in Engineering. These communities promote students to take classes with other students that reside in the same residence hall. Choosing more than one learning community allowed me to not only expand my knowledge and skills within my major, but created a sense of belonging and empowerment within me. My experience in each of these communities has been a game-changer, shaping my college adventure in ways I couldn’t have imagined. WiE Leadership Team E ngineering Projects in Community Service ISBVI EPICS Team (Magnifier Project) EPICS, short for Engineering Projects in Community Service,...

The bulk of the engineering curriculum is focused heavily on math, science, and design principles. However, having a course in your schedule outside of your major can help break up the grind of deep academic work in your engineering major. From flower arranging and stargazing to movies and rock and roll, there are a wide variety of recreational courses that students from all majors enjoy. Whether you’re a senior looking for a light second semester or a freshman with a credit hour to fill, a fun class (or several!) lets you cultivate new hobbies, revisit preexisting passions, and flourish as a well-rounded student. AMST 32500 - Sports, Technology, and Innovation Sports, Technology, and Innovation explores the scientific reshaping of sports and is a great way to expand your technology and data analytics knowledge to basketball, fantasy football, e-sports, and more. This three credit-hour course focuses on the transformation of the sports world on and off the field through engineering and...

Over Spring Break, I was lucky enough to go on the Women in Engineering Study Abroad trip.  Throughout this trip, I took the class Gender in the World, which was an amazing and eye-opening experience.  Photo of my class and I in Bruges Belgium Our first stop on this incredible journey was flying abroad to Belgium.  We stayed in Brussels for three nights.  During our first day in Belgium, we took a walking tour and saw the sites and streets of the city.  Throughout this tour, we visited areas such as the Grand Place of Brussels, the statue Manneken Pis, and even tasted Belgian waffles and fries!  In addition to the walking tour, we also visited one of the largest structures in Belgium, the Atomium.  Originally built for Belgium’s World Exposition in 1958, the Atomium stands at over 330 feet tall and promotes the idea of peaceful atomic research.   The second day consisted of a day trip to the historic city of Bruges.  We first went on a t...

    Happy Women’s History Month! This month, our team wanted to highlight some of the ways Purdue supports her women students and the women in Purdue's history who have paved the way for others to follow in their own educational and professional pursuits. In this blog, we are focusing on some of the important women to Purdue’s history, both engineers and non-engineers. France A. Córdova      France is an astrophysicist who worked in astrophysics research and professing at various universities for nearly 23 years. She became Purdue’s eleventh president in 2007 and was also Purdue’s first woman president. She was a professor of physics and astronomy and advanced Purdue’s commitment to research. Her important contributions to the University include raising the levels of research funding, reputation, and student retention. Following her career as Purdue’s president, France became the director of the National Science Foundation. The “CoRec”, as it is popularly k...