Office of Advancement
A Word from Joe Goepfrich...
May 2008

It’s hard to believe that commencement season is underway. 

Soon there will be ceremonies and celebrations to mark the completion of a milestone in the lives of many students.  We will take some time to welcome the newest PNC graduates to the 400,000+ member family of Purdue alumni and give them a one year membership in the Purdue Alumni Association. 

Purdue alumni have adopted the motto of “Loyalty Lives Here” and there really is no better phrase that can sum up the feelings of our alumni.  Truly, Purdue is an exceptional university and the North Central campus experience has unique characteristics that can be found no where else.  It is through daily interactions in classrooms and on our campus that create the loyalty found in our alumni and friends – what we sometimes refer to as “treasures.”    

One of the PNC treasures is the Odyssey Arts and Cultural series, which continuously draws many people to our campus to experience the visual arts in both large and small scale dimensions.  In the coming weeks and months, that experience will be significantly enhanced by a generous donation of sculptures, paintings and various works of art on paper from the George Sugarman Foundation.

Mr. Sugarman (1912 – 1999) was an American artist whose first polychrome sculpture was considered extremely radical because each form was painted a different color. In the 1970's he turned to creating large outdoor public sculpture and became interested in making his work user-friendly.  He taught at Hunter College in New York from 1960 to 1970 and we are delighted to receive many of his works of art for display and exhibition at PNC.

Another treasure of PNC is the very location of our campus.  As we plan the long-term future development of the campus, the wonderful natural elements that are both beautiful to see and necessary to preserve as a living laboratory for learning are clearly evident.  It is a treasure that has become a cornerstone in the planning process for future facilities.

We are also nearing completion of a new strategic plan that will guide us over the next several years.  There are four core areas identified in the plan and much of our energy will be focused in the coming years.  Our concentration will turn toward student access and success, communication and collaboration, community engagement, and resources.  In essence, we are striving for the best experience possible on the PNC campus.

Of course, the very best PNC treasures are the people on campus.  Dedicated faculty members challenge the PNC students to learn, discover and engage.  Supporting staff members provide the essential work that is often “behind the scenes” yet vital to the success of our mission.  Together, the people of PNC interact in such a way so that, over time, strong relationships develop, memories become valued treasures, and the test of endurance is met.  Loyalty Lives Here!

Thanks to all of our alumni and friends who support PNC.  As mentioned above, our new strategic plan challenges us to assure higher education access and success for greater numbers of people in the generations coming forward.   With your investments, we will meet that challenge and many more as the future unfolds.  As always, we welcome your visits, phone calls, e-mails and letters and hope you continue to help us keep the dialogue going.

Joseph K. Goepfrich, CFRE
Vice Chancellor for Advancement
jgoepfrich@pnc.edu