THiNK Magazine – Purdue University College of Liberal Arts – THiNK Magazine feat...

Lauren Romanchek remembers the moment from her childhood when Santa Claus became real. It happened while watching a memorable scene in the 1994 remake of

The nature and scope of American policework underwent massive change across the last century, and one factor drove much of that evolution: the automobile’s emergence

In the realm of the town and gown, a recent collaboration between the Purdue anthropology department and the City of West Lafayette is a certified

To Randy Roberts, the tragic friendship between Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali is more than a compelling story from the American past. As with much

One of my favorite backstage stories that Joan Pape used to tell, always to my and whoever was around’s amusement, was about a time she

Natasha Duncan’s administrative role in the Honors College – she serves as Associate Dean of International Education and Affairs – prevents her from spending as

Parisian Gilles Deleuze was one of the most important philosophers of the 20th century, and thanks to the work of Purdue’s Daniel Smith and his

Not so long ago, Macey Warren was a Brian Lamb School of Communication upperclassman who felt uncertain about how to take her first professional steps.

When Alyson Braden accompanied Purdue roommate Loran Pelecky’s family on a trip to Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks, she got more than she anticipated. Beyond

A Purdue English professor since 1994 with a specialty in poetry analysis and literary criticism, I sometimes find myself wondering about the history of my

Alongside the myth that liberal studies were inessential at early Purdue, I have often heard it said that Purdue did not offer graduate training or

Dear Friends, It is my pleasure to share the spring edition of THiNK Magazine. Nearing the end of this truly memorable academic year, these articles

Skyler Tipton was on stage the last time the Purdue Department of Theatre delivered a live main-stage performance: March 1, 2020. Back then, Tipton and

Frederick Douglass was a man of deep conviction, and also great complexity. Himself an escaped slave, Douglass gained international renown in the 19th century as

America’s racial hierarchy functions like a caste system somewhat like those in India and Nazi Germany. While this assertion from Isabel Wilkerson’s acclaimed “Caste: The

Purdue’s film and video studies program provides students with technical knowhow that is essential to work in the industry. However, it takes more than technical

For Diane Smith, a home needs to be much more than just a visually attractive living space. A resident of Westminster Village, a West Lafayette

Rosalee Clawson and her cohorts do not simply want to encourage electric vehicle (EV) usage. The team of scholars’ goal is more ambitious than that.

Delita Martin is happy she was alone when she went to see “The Photograph.” Martin knew that some of her artwork might be featured in

Jay Zawacki can look back and identify many ways in which his Purdue experience impacted the direction his life would take. For one thing, it

Chloe Edwards hasn’t met Mary Findling, but she has benefited from her generosity. As one of dozens of College of Liberal Arts students who received

When most TV shows halted production this spring amid COVID-19, Jack Klink, a 2015 graduate in film and video studies, seized the opportunity to edit

How do citizens’ emotions affect the ways they engage with news and politics, and what role does listening – and the desire to be heard

In a year that began with a pandemic and will end with a presidential election, there has rarely been a greater period of – or

The problem had been on Patrick Hagmaier’s mind prior to COVID-19, but the pandemic’s economic fallout hammered home its urgency. America’s tipped wage system is

Walking through his hometown of Tokyo, you might see some of Kazumi Hatasa’s old haunts. A restaurant with carefully crafted dishes, welcoming neighborhoods he explored

Melanie Morgan and Jennifer Hall frequently offer a simple instruction to those teaching courses in speech and communication. “Don’t tell them, show them.” In “Presentations

Corinne Feight is on a mission to make the home a safer place for people with hearing loss. Feight – a 2013 Purdue graduate in

Imagine you are an archaeologist studying an island that has been uninhabited for centuries. You are able to identify locations where houses and churches once

Kamryn Dehn had no clue what she was in for when she sat down at her computer.  The Purdue senior’s parents had been teasing her for

Not so long ago, Joe Tort recalls taking regular calls from distraught students who were struggling to adapt to the cultural differences they experienced while

Casual listeners probably will not notice, but Matthew Kroll occasionally catches it in the sound of his own voice.  Kroll and cohort Caroline Cross spent

As a fan of Brandon Stanton’s “Humans of New York” project, Amanda Mayes has come to appreciate that everyone has a story to tell.  Stanton’s memorable interview series came

Attention College of Liberal Arts alumni: If you are interested in learning more about the CLA Alumni Board, please visit the board’s website or contact

Dear Friends, It is my pleasure to share this edition of THiNK Magazine with you. In the recent past, many of you have also seen

Editor’s note: More than 70 students in the Cornerstone Integrated Liberal Arts program submitted entries into the “My Quarantine Story” contest this spring. This essay by

Editor’s note: More than 70 students in the Cornerstone Integrated Liberal Arts program submitted entries into the “My Quarantine Story” contest this spring. This essay by

Not only has Brian Lamb visited the gravesite of every deceased U.S. president, he has also seen every vice president’s burial site with his own

When NASA was preparing to name the farthest object ever visited by spacecraft, it asked the National Museum of the American Indian for help. The NMAI pointed the

When Brian Lamb first placed a C-SPAN camera inside an Iowa caucus location, many Americans – including some Iowans – had no clue how the

The average traditional prosthetic can range from $5,000 to $50,000, and for many, taking on that financial burden isn’t an option. A group of Purdue students

Purdue’s global engineering program experienced a problem that became increasingly common in recent years as South Korea’s global industrial presence continued to grow. The number of students interested

Religion is a bigger part of Purdue’s history than most people realize, but studying religion at Purdue is a fairly recent development. In fact, the two of us

From identifying dead bodies in East Africa to analyzing crime scenes like the forensic anthropologist featured in the TV show “Bones,” Melanie Beasley brings many

The way Frederick Rowe Davis sees it, his department’s “New Directions in History” series is valuable on multiple levels. For starters, it enriches the intellectual

Dear Friends, It is my pleasure to share the most recent edition of THiNK Magazine with you. As I write this note, we are nearing the end

For those who didn’t know the back story, it was certainly unexpected on Nov. 9 to see Purdue’s basketball student section – the Paint Crew

In 1945, Sen. J. William Fulbright of Arkansas introduced legislation to use funds from surplus war materials to support a new international educational exchange program

As someone who has practiced both religions at points in his life, Donald Mitchell is uniquely qualified to serve as an intermediary between Buddhists and

As a student at Loyola Marymount University, James Mollison became a nationally successful debate competitor without any of the resources available to those at bigger

A student project to highlight Purdue’s distinguished history in space exploration includes little-known facts that hold an element of surprise for everyone – even members

When Daenerys Targaryen speaks Valyrian or Dothraki on “Game of Thrones,” she might be a made-up character in a fantasy world, but she’s speaking languages

From 1890 until she retired in 1922, Laura Anne Fry developed an arts curriculum that, as Judith Vale Newton and Carol Ann Weiss assert in

Did you know that the Purdue website that attracts the most traffic is not purdue.edu, nor is it the site for Purdue sports? Nope, it’s

Dave Taylor had the foresight to understand why it would be useful to create an online home for the Purdue Writing Lab’s instructional handouts before

From engagement projects that improved site accessibility to contributors’ random encounters in hometown grocery stores, the Purdue Online Writing Lab’s reach extends into areas that

You’d be surprised what people send the OWL. In the time I’ve been content coordinator for the OWL, I’ve read innumerable messages from our readers.

An American Studies program could easily become an exercise in navel-gazing, with U.S.-born scholars and students examining the nation’s role as a global leader. Purdue’s

Emily Haas has long had a passion for safety. That passion took her to the mining community as a senior research behavioral scientist for the

As a young gamer, Scott Phillips loved to program, assemble computers, and complete other technical tasks. However, Phillips knew he needed to develop his artistic

Randy Roberts is a celebrity within the boundaries of the Purdue campus because of his engaging lectures on wars, pop culture, and sports history. The

Visitors to the Robert L. Ringel Gallery should expect to experience multiple stages of appreciation when they view Anna Ridler’s AI-driven artwork between now and

Once upon a time in the Netherlands, people were willing to spend astronomical sums of money on tulip bulbs. The “tulip mania” that swept through

Holly Okonkwo studies how race, gender, and place affect the experiences of women scientists and technologists of color. The applied anthropologist has worked with women

Meet Yvonne Pitts, one of two College of Liberal Arts professors who won the 2019 Charles B. Murphy Award, Purdue’s highest undergraduate teaching honor. Here

Meet Derek Pacheco, one of two College of Liberal Arts professors who won the 2019 Charles B. Murphy Award, Purdue’s highest undergraduate teaching honor. Here

To help commemorate the 150th anniversary of Purdue University and the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, the Department of History, in partnership

Data is often called a language – one that few people speak well. On the other hand, those who are proficient with data and technology

Business is frequently conducted on the global stage, which makes having a familiarly with multiple languages and cultures much more than an edge – it’s

On the Tuesday and Thursday mornings before finals week, Jay McCann’s class, a group of seniors on the brink of graduation, gave out varying grades

Pedro Bassoe’s interest in languages and cultures dates back to childhood. For one thing, his mother is originally from Rio de Janeiro, so Bassoe and

Chris Francis used to jump trains and shine shoes. He traveled the United States extensively using this economical technique, but decided to settle down in

Motivated by a cousin’s death in a motorcycle accident, Emily Haas felt a personal connection to a public safety project in which she worked as

Sarah Kyle remembers studying political science as a Purdue undergraduate and realizing that she wanted to someday work in Washington, D.C., influencing the legislative process

Ryan Heater has worked in many different government-related capacities since completing a history degree at Purdue in 2006. The 2019 Emerging Voice Award winner has

Dear Friends, It is my pleasure to share this most recent edition of THiNK Magazine with you. As we conclude Purdue’s sesquicentennial celebration, I am

Avid “Dungeons & Dragons” enthusiast Carina Stocker might as well have hand-selected the play where she would complete her general engineering capstone project. When Purdue

Seated at a table in the Wea Ridge Elementary School resource center with three fellow fourth graders and Purdue student volunteer Nathan Macatangay, Carol Munoz

Economic development officials everywhere deal with the same problem. In this digital age, what is the most effective way to present a community online so

Brad Bodine wrote a song to honor his father 30 years ago. He has been trying to pay similar tribute to his mother ever since,

The initial aim of the Agincourt Health and Socio-Demographic Surveillance System was to assess and improve local health processes in a rural region of northeast

Even in Purdue’s Lawson Computer Science Building – home to the first computer science department created in the United States – it is possible to

Matthew Kroll likes to joke with his philosophy students about the olden days where he would accompany his father to a brick-and-mortar bank. “You would

When a group of Korean citizens visited earlier this semester to learn about U.S. maker culture, they had a perfect tour guide in TJ Kim.

“Mental health” has become a topic of frequent conversation on college campuses. Universities across the United States are grappling with ways to create a positive

Shortly before she started in her new role as chair of the theatre department, a colleague shared with Ann Shanahan an inspiring reminder of what

When it comes to Robin Stryker’s hiring, Linda Renzulli is pleased that she accepted the challenge. Renzulli, the head of sociology, wanted to beef up

Rayvon Fouché has spent years grappling with the role technology plays in how we digest and interpret sports. These days, the director of Purdue’s American

Purdue is not the only institution celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. So too is professional baseball, dating back to the 1869 founding of the

As Tara Grillos puts it, “Ideally all research is eventually disseminated in a way that makes it easy for policy-makers to put the lessons into

It’s our being that counts. Any effort to explain Leonard Harris’ conception of philosophy comes back to that basic premise. “Rather than philosophy as dialog,

There are many places in the world with delicate climates or precarious geography where climate change has already altered people’s ways of life. The coffee

In the first two years of “The Big Read” community reading project, the Purdue English Department invited the renowned author of that year’s selected text

When she reflects upon the atmosphere in post-Cold War Europe, Rebekah Klein-Pejšová happily recalls the optimism of the time. Klein-Pejšová studied in Budapest as an

Abandoning a prevalent theme from the last few Super Bowls, Sunday’s television advertisements mostly avoided messaging about social responsibility. There were a few exceptions, where

This week we will recognize the five Purdue College of Liberal Arts graduates who were recognized with the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award on Friday, March

This week we will recognize the five Purdue College of Liberal Arts graduates who were recognized with the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award on Friday, March

This week we will recognize the five Purdue College of Liberal Arts graduates who were recognized with the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award on Friday, March

This week we will recognize the five Purdue College of Liberal Arts graduates who were recognized with the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award on Friday, March

This week we will recognize the five Purdue College of Liberal Arts graduates who were recognized with the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award on Friday, March

If a clove resembles a tooth, it can be used to treat tooth ailments. A plant with a veiny root system can fix vascular problems.

If you want to catch up with Lacey Davidson, it might be advisable to make an appointment. The Ph.D. candidate in philosophy is constantly on

Outstanding instruction is the foundation for everything Purdue students and researchers accomplish. Somewhere along their path to discovery were teachers who sparked their interests and

Why was it not standard practice for automakers to use pregnant crash-test dummies in accident simulations? Why do plumbers and electricians talk about inserting “male”

For years, the soybean has been at the center of Shannon McMullen and Fabian Winkler’s artwork exploring the intersection between agriculture and technology. In their

Michael G. Smith’s “History of the Space Age” course has always had a local flavor thanks to Purdue’s many ties to space exploration. That will

Few Purdue alumni have an image, or a footprint, as iconic as that of Neil Armstrong. To preserve his memory, and the integrity of his

The story of toxic pesticides in America did not end with the Environmental Protection Agency’s ban on dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, better known as DDT. Fritz Davis makes

It is not unusual to hear me introduce myself as a fourth-generation Boilermaker. My grandfather’s uncle was a professor at Purdue in the early 20th

In some ways, the American political system seems to be more chaotic as the 2018 midterm elections approach than it has been since the turbulent

Did you know that the Purdue community blows through an average of 1.6 plastic drinking straws per person, per day? Extrapolate that average across a

Historians and writers regularly visit Purdue University Archives and Special Collections to research their work, but visits from visual artists are not as common. With

Former First Lady Laura Bush and daughters Barbara Pierce Bush and Jenna Bush Hager will offer their perspectives on public service and share stories from

At a fundamental level, a unique research collaboration in the Patti & Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance involves programming wearable movement sensors

Although she had never visited Hungary before, the setting seemed familiar to Sophie Wu as she walked the streets of Budapest this summer. The drab

Kenneth Ferraro understands why someone might assume he studies old people. The Distinguished Professor of Sociology serves as director of the Center on Aging and

A diverse campus, curious students, and a sad tale of how chocolate is made combine to form the early narrative for Purdue’s global studies major.

At the Friday, Dec. 7 Board of Trustees meeting, Jill Suitor officially became Purdue’s newest Distinguished Professor of Sociology. Suitor came to Purdue from LSU

Björn Schülke does not categorize himself as a technology skeptic. Quite the opposite. However, the German artist – whose exhibit “Sentinel is Watching You” is on display at

Johnny Smith knows that when he writes books about sports history or delivers lectures on the subject, he is actually informing his audience about American

While accepting a 2018 Emerging Voice Award from her alma mater, Ina Kaur said her most recent art project came to mind. Kaur (MFA, 2007,

As is the case in most U.S. states, Indiana’s workforce faces a skills gap. Blair Milo is working to help her fellow Hoosiers find answers

Amy O’Shea never experienced an a-ha moment, but looking back on her post-graduation trip to Uganda, she knows exactly when her company, Bright Books, was

While he acknowledges that humans must be mindful of how we allow rapidly advancing technology to impact our lives, Daniel Kelly does not buy into

Before we make giant leaps toward a sustainable world, Zoe Nyssa suggests we start with a small step. In her lecture “We Need to Talk

Jessica Perkins remembers gravitating toward children’s biographies of Amelia Earhart in elementary school. Rachel Small wanted to learn about the famous aviator when she noticed

All college graduates benefit from having practical experience prior to landing their first job. In videography it is essential. To work in a technical role

Meet Andrea Pender, a 2004 Purdue English Language and Literature graduate, who now works as Director of Business Development with RLG Consulting Engineers in Dallas, Texas.

The computer science expert onstage testified to the foolishness of using computers to administer elections. Among the many valid points three panelists made at last

Educational attainment has a long-term effect on health. As it turns out, your children’s educational achievements can also make a difference. Rather than limit his

At the heart of an ambitious design project founded at Purdue is a desire to ease the everyday burdens, both large and small, that disabled

Dear Friends, This fall, as THiNK Magazine mailed, Purdue kicked off its yearlong sesquicentennial celebration. Anniversaries are occasions for reflection. We look back on 150

Connie Doebele worked at C-SPAN for 25 years, playing a pivotal role in developing some of the programming for which the television network is best

The Purdue community enjoyed a unique opportunity to hear from members of an American First Family when Laura Bush, Jenna Bush Hager, and Barbara Pierce

Alison Kirkham knows that bugs have a PR problem. Millions of Americans are at minimum uneasy about coming into contact with insects, if not terrified

Online searches concerning flu symptoms doubled over the last two days in Houston, potentially signaling an outbreak in America’s fourth-largest city. Real-time satellite data from

As one might expect from a conversation with one of Purdue’s most notable lecturers, a theme quickly develops when Randy Roberts discusses his profession. Now

So you think you know which sibling your mother likes best? Jill Suitor says there is a good chance you have it all wrong. The

Randy Roberts never felt like he had a handle on Mickey Mantle until he visited the baseball legend’s hometown, Commerce, Oklahoma. The old zinc- and

Kristin Graham still has a screen capture that lists her in the credits as a producer of The Oprah Winfrey Show. It’s the kind of

The personal experiences of three School of Languages and Cultures faculty members fueled a passion for linguistics, which led them each to pursue a career

Purdue’s new Cornerstone Integrated Liberal Arts program aspires to redefine the first-year student experience and reimagine a contemporary liberal arts education for students by offering

As her students say, Melanie Morgan has a knack for making even the murkiest, most complicated material seem crystal clear. Such is the art of

Eight years ago, at the White House Evening of Poetry, Music, and the Spoken Word, actor-composer-playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda breathed new life into American history. He

For more than 25 years, the College of Liberal Arts has recognized the outstanding achievements of its graduates through the Distinguished Alumni Awards program. Recipients

In an ever-changing media landscape where the truth is being contested, Kathryn Cramer Brownell, assistant professor of history, seeks to bridge the gap between the

The Liberal Arts Career Center helps students launch their careers. Through company partnerships, alumni connections, and career-focused programming, the Career Center works to help students

For people with community service ingrained in them, the question is not whether to get involved, but where. Venetria Patton, head of the School of

Literary minds have taught and discussed the novels and short stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne since their publication in the mid-19th century. Hawthorne’s dark romantic works,

Even at a time when much of the world’s information is accessible at the click of a button, the opportunity to conduct research on-site in

As an undergraduate majoring in philosophy, Leigh Raymond was constantly asking himself, in regards to environmental issues, “Not only what can the government do, but

The use of drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles, sparks debate on many fronts. For one College of Liberal Arts professor, drones are an innovative component

Why Four? That’s a question Mitch Daniels confronted as a student at Princeton University. Then, he opted for three and a half, graduating a semester

Dear Friends, I am pleased to share exciting updates from the College that build upon goals I outlined in this space a year ago. The

Ever since she can remember, Dorsey Armstrong has had a soft spot in her heart for medieval times. “I think I was just born with

My oldest son is in sixth grade and recently had math homework on congruent triangles; these triangles have equal sides and angles. I asked him,

When Kara Hampton (BA 2016, Fine Arts) began drawing detailed sketches of the dead insects found in her studio, she knew little of how big