I went back to Purdue for the first time since graduation to help with recruiting for my company. It was a little weird to be back. It really hasn't been that long since graduation and yet it seemed different in many ways. First of all, everyone looks so young! Did I look like that? I know I must have, but wow- they're babies!
Most of the major things were the same- the main bars like Jake's and Harry's, the bell tower, and the engineering fountain. But Pizza King is gone, replaced by Hot Box Pizza. What the hell is that? The Memorial Union is being remodelled. The lower level had all of the food places and they were all fairly unique, not chains. The design of the seating areas was made to look like the inside of a train. It's all been ripped out. I think that was the
saddest part to me- I don't necessarily think that making things more modern is a good thing and I can only assume they will rebuild with a more modern look. To me, it seems more like losing a piece of the school's history. The I.E. (Industrial Engineering) school has also changed. Two of my favorite professors aren't there anymore- one retired which I already knew about (Solberg) and one is just gone and I'm not sure where she went (Stuart).
There were a couple of changes that made me happy. I was very involved with I.E. when I was at school and it was good to see that Alpha Pi Mu is still active. When I (and all my I.E. buddies) were members/officers in APM, we started a student commons where I.E. students can go to study, have access to computers, etc. Well, I'm happy to report that the room has been updated with new furniture and looks really nice now. Also, Dan and I spent a fair amount of time creating a "Top Ten Reasons to be an IE" t-shirt. The APM team had updated the reasons and it's better than ever.
I travelled with a coworker. John and I spent Tuesday at the Industrial Roundtable (career fair), looking for students that might be good for internships or full time roles at Platinum Solutions. We met a lot of great candidates but I think we were passed over by some because we're such a small company that many students haven't heard of us. I could see the looks on some of the kids faces, like they were too good to work for such a small company. I have to laugh a little at that since I was once one of those kids. As a student, I went to the Accenture booth and other big name companies. It's not until you start working at those big companies that you realize that sometimes you can get a lot more from the small companies. I've grown so much more at smaller companies because I'm able to get involved in so many more aspects of the business. But I guess each person has to experience that for themselves to see what's right for them.
We had two evenings at Purdue and managed to eat at Bruno's Pizza both nights. It was my favorite pizza place near campus and John even liked it enough to go back the second night. I also managed to find a Steak n' Shake to get a milkshake. Best milkshakes anywhere and we don't have them here in DC.
I was able to meet up with my old college buddy, Melanie, on Wednesday for lunch before heading home. I haven't seen her in 2 years since our friend, Andy's, wedding. It was great to catch up. I wish I was able to see my college friends more- I miss you guys!
I stocked up on Boilermaker gear while I was there too. :) Go Boilers!!!
Most of the major things were the same- the main bars like Jake's and Harry's, the bell tower, and the engineering fountain. But Pizza King is gone, replaced by Hot Box Pizza. What the hell is that? The Memorial Union is being remodelled. The lower level had all of the food places and they were all fairly unique, not chains. The design of the seating areas was made to look like the inside of a train. It's all been ripped out. I think that was the
saddest part to me- I don't necessarily think that making things more modern is a good thing and I can only assume they will rebuild with a more modern look. To me, it seems more like losing a piece of the school's history. The I.E. (Industrial Engineering) school has also changed. Two of my favorite professors aren't there anymore- one retired which I already knew about (Solberg) and one is just gone and I'm not sure where she went (Stuart).There were a couple of changes that made me happy. I was very involved with I.E. when I was at school and it was good to see that Alpha Pi Mu is still active. When I (and all my I.E. buddies) were members/officers in APM, we started a student commons where I.E. students can go to study, have access to computers, etc. Well, I'm happy to report that the room has been updated with new furniture and looks really nice now. Also, Dan and I spent a fair amount of time creating a "Top Ten Reasons to be an IE" t-shirt. The APM team had updated the reasons and it's better than ever.
I travelled with a coworker. John and I spent Tuesday at the Industrial Roundtable (career fair), looking for students that might be good for internships or full time roles at Platinum Solutions. We met a lot of great candidates but I think we were passed over by some because we're such a small company that many students haven't heard of us. I could see the looks on some of the kids faces, like they were too good to work for such a small company. I have to laugh a little at that since I was once one of those kids. As a student, I went to the Accenture booth and other big name companies. It's not until you start working at those big companies that you realize that sometimes you can get a lot more from the small companies. I've grown so much more at smaller companies because I'm able to get involved in so many more aspects of the business. But I guess each person has to experience that for themselves to see what's right for them.
We had two evenings at Purdue and managed to eat at Bruno's Pizza both nights. It was my favorite pizza place near campus and John even liked it enough to go back the second night. I also managed to find a Steak n' Shake to get a milkshake. Best milkshakes anywhere and we don't have them here in DC.
I was able to meet up with my old college buddy, Melanie, on Wednesday for lunch before heading home. I haven't seen her in 2 years since our friend, Andy's, wedding. It was great to catch up. I wish I was able to see my college friends more- I miss you guys!
I stocked up on Boilermaker gear while I was there too. :) Go Boilers!!!
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