Big Ten Bucket List – Purdue: BTN LiveBIG

Summer is upon us, and we know that probably the last thing you want to think about is the school year. But, whether you?re a seasoned senior or an incoming freshman, it is never too late - or too early - to brush up on all that your Big Ten university has to offer.

So, we asked the experts from all fourteen universities to round up a list of can?t-miss items, from cool locations to creative programs, which students would be remiss in missing out on. Consider it your collegiate bucket list. If these are news to you, we hope you?re inspired to adventure. If you?ve already checked off a few of these, also great; please let us know in the comments below.

 

Ride on the Boilermaker Special

 

What better way to see all Purdue?s campus has to offer than taking a ride on the largest and fastest mascot, the Boilermaker Special? The Reamer Club, dedicated to taking care of the official mascot of Purdue, offers Free Ride Fridays in front of Purdue?s Stewart Center on the Fridays before home football games. The Boilermaker Special is on its seventh model, is street legal and can reach up to 75 mph on the highway. With its need for speed, it accompanies the football team to every away football game.

 

Visit the VOSS sculpture

 

Fulfill your dreams of seeing space, without the training and g-force, by visiting the Visiting Our Solar System sculpture (VOSS). The artwork, located in Discovery Park, is a scaled model of the solar system. The VOSS sculpture was created based on a Fibonacci Spiral, which means for every foot you travel, you would be traveling approximately 5.4 million miles in space. The model is dedicated to Janice Voss, a Purdue alumna and astronaut, who logged more than 48 days in space.

 

Snap a selfie with the Neil Armstrong sculpture

 

Take a picture with Neil Armstrong, arguably one of the most famous Purdue alumni, known for being the first man to walk on the moon. The statue, built in 2007, is accompanied by a trail of 20 moon boot impressions, allowing students and visitors to walk in the footsteps of Armstrong and attempt to make the simulated giant leap. This July will mark the 50th anniversary of the moon landing and the birth of Armstrong?s iconic line, ?One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.? Purdue?s 150th anniversary theme, ?Giant Leaps,? is inspired by Armstrong?s historic statement.

 

Belly up in the 1869 Tap Room

 

Named for the year Purdue was founded, this old-style pub, brings in craft beer from breweries all throughout Indiana. The tap room is located on the ground floor of the Purdue Memorial Union and includes two Purdue-branded beers, Boiler Gold and Boiler Black. These local craft beers were developed with the assistance of Purdue?s Department of Food Science. Purdue hops researchers and students in the College of Agriculture also have a hand in the process, working with Indiana hops farmers in evaluating their crops prior to fermentation.

 

Cheer loud and proud at the Grand Prix

 

The greatest spectacle in college racing, otherwise known as Purdue Grand Prix, is a 160-lap, 50-mile go-kart race that occurs in April on Purdue?s campus. The event originated in 1958 as a way for engineering students at Purdue to exercise their skills, knowledge and enthusiasm and has turned into an annual event that now also features drivers from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. Grand prix draws in over 4,000 spectators with 50 all student teams vying for one of 33 spots in the race.

 

– Purdue University News Service