Purdue launches Campaign Chicago with dinner, reception

Campaign Chicago steering committee members and others will gather April 22 at Union Station in Chicago for a reception and dinner at 6 p.m., followed by a 7 p.m. program. The cost per person is $90, or $75 for a Purdue graduate from the past decade. Space is available on a first-come basis.

More than 50,000 Purdue alumni live in the Chicago area, more than any other location. Approximately 3,000 current Purdue students are from that region.

Purdue has already raised more than $80 million in pledges and contributions toward Campaign Chicago's $100 million goal. The overall university campaign, which has raised more than $1.3 billion, ends July 2007.

Michael J. Birck, Hinsdale, Ill., who founded Tellabs Inc. in Lisle, Ill., in 1975 and now is its chairman, is the honorary co-chair of the overall Campaign for Purdue and serves on the steering committee for Campaign Chicago. Birck received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 1960 and an honorary doctorate in engineering in 1995 from Purdue.

Other well-known Purdue alumni with Chicago ties include Eugene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon, who was born in Bellwood, Ill.; and Kyle Orton, former Purdue quarterback and current starting quarterback for the Chicago Bears.

For more information or to reserve a place at the dinner, call the Purdue Special Events Office at (800) 213-3044.

Writer: Kim Medaris, (765) 494-6998, kmedaris@purdue.edu

Source: Murray Blackwelder, Purdue senior vice president for advancement, (765) 496-2144, mblackwelder@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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