As I look out my office window, I can tell Day on Campus is in full swing. There are lots of new students, usually walking with (or a few steps in front of) their parents, campus maps in hand. As our incoming students prepare for their first year, we also are gearing up for a new academic year, including new leadership in two of our departments.

I’m pleased to welcome Doran French as the new head of Child Development and Family Studies. He comes to Purdue from Illinois Wesleyan University where he was professor and chair of the Department of Psychology. His career of more than 30 years includes clinical experience as a licensed psychologist and faculty positions at Lewis and Clark College, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and University of Rhode Island. His research interests include neuropsychology of social interaction, religion and social competence, peer relationships, cultural psychology, and conflict.

In Consumer Sciences and Retailing, Sugato Chakravarty has done an excellent job this past year of serving as interim head, and I’m happy to announce that he has been named head of the department. A member of the Purdue faculty since 1993, Professor Chakravarty has earned numerous awards for his research involving investments; market microstructure; international, small business, and corporate finance; and family economics related to investments and retirement.

Please join me in welcoming Doran and Sugato to their new roles in the college. With their leadership, we have much to look forward to in the coming year.

Hail Purdue!
Dennis Savaiano
Dean

Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant in Orland Park, Illinois, will be the site for the next Chicagoland Boiler Mixer on Thursday, July 24. Guests will enjoy a tour by owner and CFS alumnus Tim McEnery, BS '99, as well as a wine tasting and appetizers. Read more about the event.

Emma Preuschl, a May 2008 graduate in dietetics and nutrition, fitness, and health, will be competing in the Beijing 2008 Paralympics in September. A former Purdue Crew Club member, she earned a spot on the U.S. National Adaptive Rowing Team. Emma has a condition called Erbs palsy, which limits the range of motion and strength in her left arm. Read more about Emma. Also traveling to Beijing is Kara Patterson, a junior in foods and nutrition who will compete in the women’s javelin at the Summer Olympics. While qualifying earlier this month, she set a U.S. Olympic Trials record with a throw of 191 feet and 9 inches. Read more about Kara. Watch for Emma’s and Kara’s stories in the fall issue of the Focus newsletter.

A Johnson County program that provides prenatal education and resources is the recipient of the college’s seventh annual Inspiring Families and Building Communities Award. The Ready or Not, Here I Come program serves pregnant teenage, uninsured, or underinsured women in their first trimester to promote a healthy pregnancy. Read more about this year’s winner.

As grocery prices continue to rise, consumers need to shop smart to get the most from their paycheck. Ideas like planning a week’s worth of meals, making a shopping list, and cutting back on convenience items, such as bagged lettuce, are ways to save money at the grocery. Read more money-saving ideas from Angie Abbott, CFS Extension specialist.

On Friday, August 15, visitors to the Indiana State Fair will be able to visit more than 50 exhibits showcasing Purdue’s colleges and schools, including CFS. Purdue Day events are free with admission to the fair and are open from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Get a schedule of the day’s activities.

Child Development and Family Studies

• Neelu Chawla, graduate student, received the Van Scoyoc Fellowship from the Center for Families for her summer 2008 project, “Couple and Family Responses to Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.”
• Melissa Franks, assistant professor, received a Hancook Faculty Fellowship from the Center for Families.
• Shawn Whiteman, assistant professor, joined the Center for Families as a faculty partner.

Consumer Sciences and Retailing

• JungKun Park, assistant professor, received the best paper award at the American Collegiate Retailing Association’s spring conference. The paper will be published in the Journal of Service Management.
• Tansel Yilmazer, assistant professor, and graduate student Patryk Babiarz received the ACCI Financial Planning Paper Award from the Certified Financial Planner Board for their paper, “The Impact of College Financial Aid Rules on Household Portfolio Choice.”

Foods and Nutrition

• Carol Boushey, professor, received a Hancook Faculty Fellowship from the Center for Families.
• Leslie Cradler, undergraduate, received a research award from the Center for Families for her project involving adolescents and calcium.

July 24: Chicagoland Boiler Mixer at Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant, Orland Park, Illinois
August 15: Purdue Day at the Indiana State Fair
August 23: Purdue Day in Chicago
September 20: Family Day
September 21: CFS Scholarship Reception
September 23: HTM Career Day
October 3–4: CFS Dean’s Club Appreciation Weekend
October 10: Consumers and Technology Symposium
October 23: Center for Families Advisory Council Meeting
October 24: CFS Alumni Board Meeting
October 24–25: CFS Festive Friday and Homecoming
October 24–25: President’s Council Annual Weekend

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