Food sciences graduates
large number of students
By Kurt Esposito
Summer
Editor
With only 46 students graduating, the department
of food science has its largest graduating class ever.
"As far as I know it's the largest that's ever
graduated (in the nation) in one year," said Philip Nelson, head of
the department of food science.
The department began at Purdue in 1984 and its
first class graduated two students.
Nelson said 46 is the largest amount of graduates
because many people are unaware of what the field of food sciences is
about. He said most high school students think it is about cooking.
He said this will bring more attention to the program.
"With the needs of food safety and concern out
there, it certainly means there's only going to be more jobs for our
students," he said.
Mike Reckowsky, a development associate in the
department of food sciences, said that while most other food science
departments rely on transfer students, Purdue's department of food science
initiated a recruitment program.
He credited the department's recruitment program
for educating high students about the field of food sciences and enabling
the department to have the largest class of graduating seniors.
The focus recruitment program, based on one used
by the football team, involves regularly sending material to prospective
Purdue student, who have scored high enough on their SAT's. The material
includes information on the department, the field of food sciences and
campus life on Purdue. They also encourage students to visit the campus.
The department sends out even more information to students once they
apply to Purdue.
"We're doing (recruitment) unlike anybody else
on campus," said Reckowsky.
Reckowsky said the number students in each graduating
class will not continue to raise in the upcoming years because they
are at capacity.
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