Magazine clips: a sampling

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"Veterinary visionaries: Advancements in the 50-year history of the Purdue vet school"
Alumnus, Purdue University, January/February 2009

When Spend a Buck raced past the finish line six lengths ahead of his closest rival in the 1985 Kentucky Derby, his victory was made possible in part by Purdue University; just months before, Dr. C. Wayne McIlwraith MS ‘77, PhD ‘79 had performed arthroscopic surgery on the thoroughbred, using techniques he’d begun honing in the School of Veterinary Medicine .

Farmers as well have Purdue to thank for their triumphs over such devastating diseases as pseudorabies in swine. And in the future, humans could benefit from cancer and spinal cord injury treatments that have already improved the lives of golden retrievers and dachshunds.

Breakthroughs in the School of Veterinary Medicine create a ripple effect far beyond the confines of the West Lafayette campus, aiding livestock, people, and pets around the nation and even around the world. In honor of the school’s golden anniversary in 2009, we present six Purdue veterinary innovations, some which have already saved lives and livelihoods, and others which have the potential to do so in years to come. more

"Year of the Voter"
THINK, Purdue University, Fall 2008

It’s late afternoon on a breezy April day, and a line of people inches its way along the Governor Leslie Memorial Bridge spanning the Wabash River between the twin cities of West Lafayette and Lafayette. Snaking around to the north on Main Street, east of the waterway, the crowd finally spills out onto the lawn of Riehle Plaza, where Secret Service agents are planted among the daffodils and newly budding trees.

As the strains of John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen boom from speakers, the spectators chatter — college students shouldering backpacks, grandmothers in flag sweaters, and kids clutching handmade “Go Green” posters. Suddenly their voices are replaced by applause, as a beaming senator in a rosy-pink blazer marches toward the stage. Hundreds of cameras and cell phones click in rapid succession, capturing an unprecedented event in Tippecanoe County history. more

"Anatolia's Riches"
THINK, Purdue University, Spring 2008

It’s only mid-morning, but the dank air has already dampened Professor Nicholas Rauh’s skin, his long-sleeve shirt and cargo pants now clinging to his tired limbs. Just an hour ago, he was sipping hot tea in a crowded shop, discussing the whereabouts of an ancient tomb while fans whirred overhead. Now, Rauh and his companions — an array of Purdue students sporting T-shirts and jeans — climb the steep hillside above a tiny Turkish village, mountain boots crunching on the jagged limestone. As the sun scorches their path, Rauh tightens the grip on his increasingly heavy backpack, breathing in the scent of distant sea air mixed with cedar.

And then they see it — a few footsteps away, a cluster of stone blocks forming a long-forgotten burial place. Pulling out a tape measure, a young man sporting an Indiana Jones hat approaches the site, climbing down to calculate its dimensions. As he repeats each measurement aloud, his female companion presses a stylus against her handheld computer screen, adding to their digital map of the land known as Rough Cilicia. more

"Ever Grateful, Ever True"
Leadership, Purdue University, Fall 2007

Max Bales, ’89, may wear orange and maroon on game days in the Blue Ridge Mountains, but deep inside, he’s still a Boilermaker.

“It’s in my genetics,” says Bales, the son of two Purdue University graduates who’s now director of development in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences for Virginia Tech. Bales cheered for the Black and Gold as a child, completed his bachelor’s degree at Purdue, and then worked for the John Purdue Club and development after graduation. When he and his family relocated from West Lafayette to hilly Blacksburg, Virginia, almost four years ago, he sought out folks from his alma mater. Some of these alumni work alongside him at Virginia Tech, but others are friends he’s made through the local Purdue alumni club.

“I feel the sense of pride in bringing the stature of this University to other places,” says Bales. A joint President’s Council, Purdue Alumni Association (PAA), and John Purdue Club (JPC) member, he has organized such events as picnic-styled socials and a Virginia Tech campus visit from Purdue President Emeritus Martin C. Jischke.

For Bales and other alumni and friends, team spirit is sparked not only when they chant “Hail to our old Purdue!” at Ross-Ade Stadium, but also when they reminisce at a University-sponsored reception, golf outing, or scholarship fundraiser anywhere around the world. Leaders of PAA, JPC, and President’s Council are increasingly collaborating to keep those ties strong. more

"Clean sweep"
Indianapolis Pet Quarterly, Spring 2007

When Dave Scott couldn’t find the multi-pack of C batteries he’d squirreled away somewhere in the house, he never expected his golden retriever would. But after running errands one day, Scott came home to find a perforated battery lying on the floor and Logan licking his wounds. “They suspect that part of the punctured battery acid had gotten into his gums,” says Scott of the emergency vets that treated Logan that evening. Since then, the family has been crating Logan when he’s home alone – and they’ve been extra-careful that potentially dangerous items are accounted for. Furry friends are much like children, says Scott: “If things are lying around, you just don’t know when they’re going to pick something up and really harm themselves.” That’s especially true when the tulips bloom, the air warms and we start sorting and scrubbing each spring.

"Au Naturale"
Indy's Child, August 2006

Jessica Smith of rural Darlington, Indiana, can't really say what prompted her about five years ago to start eating more organically. "I wish I could pinpoint it to any one thing," says Smith, a home schooling mother of four who now serves her family fresh goat's milk, pasture-raised chicken's eggs and just-picked fruits and vegetables — much of it produced on her family's land or purchased from other local farmers. After previously shopping at discount grocers for kitchen time-savers, Smith began cooking more from scratch after her first child was born. Fast-forward to today, and she and her husband not only raise chickens and sheep for their own family's needs, but also sell about 90 percent of their production to local consumers.

"Happy Campers"
Indy's Child, March 2006

Dayton Gobert was an active, happy child who always surrounded himself with lots of friends – until he saw the twin towers of the World Trade Center crumble over and over again on television. Suddenly, the 10-year-old from Spencer, Ind. felt the horror of terrorism hundreds of miles away.

“He had a mother who traveled, a mother who was getting on planes all the time,” says Peg Smith, chief executive officer of the American Camp Association in Martinsville. “It became very close and personal to him.” Every night, Gobert would tiptoe into Smith’s room and sleep at the foot of her bed.

Then one spring day in 2002, Gobert asked his mom if he could attend summer camp. To her surprise, after a few days and nights at Camp Tecumseh in Brookston, Gobert emerged his old, smiling, extroverted self. “It’s one of the most profound things that’s ever happened to me, and I’m eternally grateful he had that experience,” says Smith. Although Gobert’s transformation was especially dramatic, many other youth also boost their emotional intelligence when they tromp through the woods, gather around campfires and share laughs with newfound friends at camp.

"Critical Mass"
Insights, Purdue University College of Science, Fall/Winter 2005

Make no mistake — some of Stephanie Ragozzino’s closest friends are men. And yet in computer science classes dominated by Y chromosomes during her undergraduate years at Purdue University, Ragozzino found comfort in the camaraderie of women. Donning an old sweatsuit after hours in Earhart Hall, she huddled with her fellow female science majors, sharing academic frustrations and discovering solutions as a participant in the Women in Science Programs (WISP).

“I get along great with guys, but there were times when I wanted some women to talk to,” says Ragozzino (BS ’00). Through WISP, which groups women of various science majors together, Ragozzino also met female faculty members, still a rarity in computer science departments. more

"Call of the Wild"
Indianapolis Monthly Home, Fall 2005

When mountain vistas and river gorges beckon, Kim McManama and her fiancé, G. Michel Mott, head west to the secluded cabins along Wyoming’s Slide Lake, their casting-off point for Harley rides along Grand Teton passes and fly fishing on the Snake River.

When serenity closer to home is calling, McManama unlocks the front door of her wee White River dwelling on the southern edge of Fishers. The whimsical, elk-themed sign on the front porch aptly describes this residence-turned-weekend-getaway: “End of the Trail Lodge: back country luxury.” Here, plenty east of the Mississippi, the two-stepper and Eiteljorg Museum volunteer pays homage to the spirit of the American West.

"An Inquiring Mind"
Krannert magazine, Fall 2004

David Brown BSIM ’70, loves to tell stories.

Sitting around a table with employees or standing at a podium in an auditorium of business school students, the president and chief executive officer of Owens Corning weaves tales of ordinary human beings rising above life’s challenges: an elderly nursing home resident who chooses a sunny outlook, a young inventor who bets his life savings on a dream.

“Personal stories where you speak from the heart are incredibly powerful,” Brown says. “People can remember stories. And the fact that it was personal enough to share allows you to connect with people, build relationships, and make a difference.”

"Fields of dreams"
Leadership, Purdue University, Spring 2004

Steer your automobile along any number of bucolic Indiana byways, and you’ll likely discover some of the state’s vast oil reserves. Surprisingly, those very ordinary looking soybean plants hold the promise of reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil, among other potential uses.

And thanks in part to several new major contributions to the School of Agriculture, researchers can continue in their quest to develop and market alternatives to petroleum-based products that house your hard drive, de-ice your windshield, and fuel your flights.

“Dino Might”
Indy's Child, June 2004

When the Cretaceous Period dawns again on June 11, 2004, wispy cirrus clouds will shift across the sky, dinosaur calls will echo across the forest, and the smells of ancient plants will waft in the air.

Of course, the articulated fossils of The Children's Museum of Indianapolis will not thunder across the lower level floor. But for 21st century dinophiles who long for a time-traveling adventure the likes of Ms. Frizzle's Magic School Bus, the sights, sounds and smells of this new, meticulously orchestrated gallery will probably be as close as they can get anywhere in the United States today. Hold on to your pith helmet, Ms. Frizzle. Dinosphere is here!

“Mixed Media”
Indianapolis At Home, Winter 2003

Eric Weisfeld grew up in a Washington Township tri-level, surrounded by elements of suburban 1970s design: moderately sized rooms, neutral decor, and lots of traditional American furniture. Despite this conventional upbringing, he’d always been fascinated with modern interiors.

When he was ready to settle down in Indianapolis after returning for a position with RTV6, the news anchor looked for the right spot to make a dramatic, contemporary statement. “I really wanted a blank slate,” he says. Weisfeld found it just five minutes from the station in a renovated brick industrial building.

“Teach Your Children Well”
Indy’s Child, October 2003

Not long after the rooster crows on weekdays from around September to June, Gabrielle Mesko helps her family tend to farm chores, eats some breakfast and heads off to school. But instead of grabbing a backpack and hopping on the bus, the seven-year-old simply walks down the hall of her Greenfield, Indiana home to begin her daily academic regimen. Gabrielle’s mom is her teacher.

No bells chime the beginning and ending of the day; no principal roams the hall. But Lisa Mesko teaches plenty of reading, writing, arithmetic and other subjects, all tailor-made for Gabrielle and her little sister. Being able to customize lessons and teaching styles to their children’s needs is one reason that more parents are returning to the centuries-old art of home schooling.

“No Guts, No Glory”
Indianapolis At Home, Summer 2003

Insurance company vice president Fred Swing prefers only calculated risks when it comes to home ownership. Jack Townsend, a sales executive and handyman extraordinaire who once bought, remodeled and sold a house in a single year, more willingly rolls the dice. But when the two discovered an outdated Broad Ripple bungalow in 1998, the purchase was a gamble even for Townsend.

Both men were accustomed to newer, lower-maintenance suburban dwellings that easily accommodated cocktail parties. While the location and old-house character appealed to them, the two jet setters wondered if they could make the 1930s floor plan and recent remuddlings work for themselves and their friends and family. They decided to follow their gut instincts. “You just see something and it just feels right,” explains Fred. After five years of roll-up-your sleeves facelifts and another gamble on an extensive lower-level renovation, “We winded up having exactly what we wanted,” says Fred.

“Planes, Trains and Automobiles”
Indy’s Child, June 2003

To the littlest ones in your family, they’re simply machines that swoosh, chug and vroom. To your older children, they may be ingenious inventions or gateways to other people and places. For every family member, planes, trains and automobiles present endless possibilities for education and entertainment.

From loops around Indy’s championship oval to remembrances of the Wright Brothers’ historic first flight, this summer offers a number of transportation-themed activities only a gas tank or two away. Pack the cooler, fasten your seatbelts and head out on the road for some memorable adventures.

“Shifting Gears”
Krannert magazine, Spring 2003

Ana McCune van de Velde’s teenage infatuation with a 1960s muscle car helped steer her career course in the direction of Detroit. It was her drive for self-sufficiency, however, that helped propel her to success in the automotive industry.

As executive vice president of Automotive Strategies, Inc., McCune van de Velde works alongside her husband, Gregoire, in performing benchmarking and engineering studies for automotive companies around the world. Jetting between Detroit and Paris is not quite what the former high school yearbook editor imagined for herself when she decided to study journalism and foreign language in college.

“Back to the Beach”
Indianapolis At Home, Winter 2002

Some people might find it merely coincidental that Ron and Michele Dow built their Nantucket Beach House, as they call it, on Beach Avenue in Indy. Dow knows otherwise. A native New Jerseyite who spent childhood summers lounging beachside at the likes of Cape Cod and Long Beach Island, Dow says he was looking for a sign that this was where to build their dream house. When the Dows discovered the near-White River property awaiting development, it was kismet.

Now, 16 years later, their elevated clapboard sided house blends colonial charm, seaside coziness and cosmopolitan sophistication right here in landlocked Indianapolis, evoking memories of sand and surf even in a chilly Hoosier winter.

“Dressed to Sell”
Indianapolis At Home, Spring 2002

Al Pearlman knows what it takes to sell most houses, and he doesn't hesitate to do it. When a homeowner's out of town and snow is a foot deep, the F.C. Tucker realtor will hire a crew to plow the driveway. When thistle weeds have taken over the bushes, he'll ask a landscaping company to clean up the yard. And when someone's interiors lack visual appeal, Pearlman will invite a designer to advise, rearrange and possibly even furnish.

Pearlman's enthusiasm might seem overzealous for a reasonably priced market like Indianapolis. But while Hoosiers aren't facing the sticker shock of buyers in San Francisco or Boston, Pearlman says prospects are less likely to pay full price – or even bid at all – on ho-hum dwellings. "Presentation is everything," he says. "It could mean ten, fifteen, twenty thousand dollars on the value."

“Time Travels”
Indy's Child, May 2002

Imagine breathing in the fragrance of long-forgotten prairie grasses, hearing the voices of 19th century politicians and shivering in the chill of the ice age. Now imagine experiencing all of this in a stone-and-glass atmosphere where water cascades to a reflecting pool, sculptures reach to the sky and even the sidewalks have stories to tell. Sound like something out of an H.G. Wells novel? It's actually right here in Indianapolis, right now at the new Indiana State Museum.

Opening May 22, the 270,000-square foot structure will transport families on a journey through time, from the days when the earth was born to our own visions of the future. Situated at White River State Park and complete with hands-on, multimedia learning opportunities, the museum will provide a one-stop entertainment and education destination to enjoy again and again. Grab your camcorder and backpacks, and let's take a peek.

“A Breathtaking Disease”
Indy's Child, June 2002

Whether it was freshly cut grass clippings or gardens full of tropical flowers, Annette Fulton isn't sure, but some allergen in the Florida air early last spring triggered yet another coughing spell in her son. And this time, the usual treatments didn't work.

“Matthew was just two years old and was coughing uncontrollably and wheezing. I had a nebulizer at the time and gave him repeated treatments throughout the night,” she recalls, referring to a breathing machine that delivers mists of medication to the lungs. “But it didn’t seem to relieve his symptoms.”