Discover the Top 8 Intriguing Fun Facts About Purdue University You Never Knew!

1. Harry Potter Meets SNL Fundraiser

When Harry Potter meets Saturday Night Live, it's bound to be a magically entertaining showdown for a good cause: At Purdue University's Zeta Tau Alpha sorority's annual Big Man on Campus event, members of the Greek and cooperative housing communities conjure up talents like magic shows, skits, and lip-syncing acts to raise funds for breast cancer research, and in 2019, their spellbinding efforts generated a dazzling $109,849.
Source => purduealumnus.org

2. Purdue Day of Giving Extravaganza

Who let the Boilermakers out? Move over, craft brewers – it's Purdue's time to shine (and we're not talking about moonshine!): Purdue University revels in a ten-year-strong tradition called Purdue Day of Giving, an annual fundraising event uniting alumni, faculty, staff, retirees, students, parents, friends, and fans in generating contributions to propel the university into an ever-brighter future. Their global community's astounding generosity ensures that Purdue continues making a remarkable impact in higher education.
Source => dayofgiving.purdue.edu

Did you know the term "Hoosier" was once an insult, but Indiana's residents turned it into a symbol of pride? Discover how they embraced this nickname and its impact on their culture!

=> Fun Facts about Indiana

3. Sky-High Flight Program

When pigs fly, Purdue provides: Purdue University offers a top-notch Professional Flight Program, teaching future pilots about aircraft construction, aviation decision-making, and even giving access to state-of-the-art flight simulators! With focused training, students can earn a bachelor's and master's degree in aviation and aerospace management in just five years, while also qualifying for the Elite R-ATP flight school with a mere 1,000 flight hours under their wings.
Source => polytechnic.purdue.edu

4. Explosive Engineering Alum

Who knew blasting hillsides was all the rage in the 19th century? John Bradford Harper, Purdue University's first graduate, sure did: As a cutting-edge combination of civil engineer and chemistry whiz, he put his expertise to work by designing and executing the Zuni Dam in Black Rock, N.M., using high-pressure water hoses to pulverize pesky hillsides, and even included Native American tribes such as the Zuni, Hopi, and Navajo in its construction. However, the dam's impressive engineering came at a cost – the destruction of a sacred spring and the irreversible change of agricultural practices for the Zuni tribe.
Source => purdue.edu

5. Neil Armstrong: Purdue's Pride

Houston, we have a Boilermaker: Neil Armstrong not only earned his aeronautical engineering degree from Purdue University but even toted a Purdue flag into orbit during NASA's Gemini 8 mission. Purdue's then-President gifted him the flag, and the astronaut's lasting legacy on campus includes the Armstrong Hall of Engineering, dedicated in his honor, where a statue of Armstrong welcomes photos with starstruck visitors.
Source => engineering.purdue.edu

6. The Bitter Truth about Sweeteners

Sweet dreams are made of this, but who are we to disagree with science? Looks like we might need to watch our waistlines even with diet sodas and sugar-free treats: Purdue University's Ingestive Behavior Research Center found that artificial sweeteners could actually lead to weight gain and a decrease in our ability to regulate calorie intake, putting a damper on our go-to weight loss strategies.
Source => purdue.edu

7. Purdue Pete's Evolving Style

In a tale as old as time with more costume changes than a Broadway diva, Purdue Pete manages to win hearts and inspire cheers even while sporting a bulky fiberglass noggin: Originally designed as a logo in 1940, Purdue Pete became the official athletic mascot of Purdue University in 1956 and has since evolved through various iterations, including a fiberglass head in the 1980s, while maintaining his status as a beloved staple at football, basketball, and other sporting events.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Buzzworthy Bee Education

Buzzing in for a bee-rilliant education: Purdue University offers an un-bee-lievable seven-part series on pollinator ecosystems, teaching students about the sweet connection between humans and honey bees, the intricate dance of plant biology, and how to bee-have responsibly to protect our precious pollinators.
Source => extension.entm.purdue.edu