Last November, we welcomed Sara Lee Food and Beverage to campus to kick off the Sara Lee Innovation Award competition, a unique opportunity that challenges teams of students to create a viable new product for Sara Lee. Since then, the teams have been busy developing their innovative ideas and will present their final food products to a panel of judges composed of Sara Lee executives and Purdue professors on April 12. In addition to a $10,000 prize, the winning team could see their product on store shelves.

Of the 12 students participating on the three final teams, eight are CFS students — four are foods and nutrition majors and four are in hospitality and tourism management. Students in food science and agricultural and biological engineering are also participating on these interdisciplinary teams.

This is a remarkable opportunity for students to combine what they’re learning in the classroom and laboratory and use it for a practical application. The competition encourages creativity and inquiry, promotes teamwork and problem solving, and teaches students about the development of a product, from concept to market.

I’m extremely proud of these students who are representing CFS so well, and look forward to continuing this valuable partnership with Sara Lee. 

Hail Purdue!
Dennis Savaiano
Dean

All CFS faculty and staff are encouraged to attend the annual CFS Diversity Forum on Wednesday, April 18 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. at the Burton Morgan Center. The event is hosted by the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality and the Multicultural Society for Excellence. The forum provides a means to celebrate our diversity and increase awareness of diversity issues. Refreshments will be served. Visit the CFS Diversity Forum page for more information.

Purdue welcomes the community and alumni back to campus each spring with Spring Fest, an event for the entire family. CFS always participates with a tent full of activities, and this year, the Purdue Fashion Association’s annual Spring Fashion Show also will be held in conjunction with Spring Fest. Visit us on Memorial Mall on Saturday, April 14 and Sunday, April 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. both days. Visit the Spring Fest site for a detailed agenda, including a list of specific CFS activities.

The Purdue Selling Team retained the Sales Cup for the third year from the University of Louisville. The Sales Cup competition, a traditional rivalry between the two universities, is one of three competitions in which the Purdue Selling Team competes annually. Members of Purdue’s team for this competition were (from left) Laura Brandenberger, Anastasia Goffinet, Greg Sporre, Jimmie Eloff, Colin O’Neal, and Matt Smith (front). All students are selling and sales management majors.

The Department of Foods and Nutrition will present “Get the Facts: Hot Topics in Nutrition” on Friday, May 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Pfendler Hall. The conference will provide information about new areas of nutrition and address topics that have given rise to conflicting information in the media. Topics to be covered include the human genome, trans fat, vitamin E, green tea, and the National Institutes of Health women’s health initiative. Cost to attend is $65 plus $10 for lunch. Registration is required. Learn more about the conference.

The Home and Family Conference, sponsored by CFS Extension and the Indiana Extension Homemakers Association, will be held May 15–17 on the West Lafayette campus. Keynote speakers for the event are Mark Potuck, a motivational speaker who connects health and humor to success, and Anthony Cawdron, etiquette expert and events coordinator at Westwood, the official residence of the Purdue president. A variety of workshops and seminars will be available to participants throughout the three-day conference. To download a conference brochure, visit the CFS Extension Web site.

Applications are now being accepted for Camp Calcium 10, a summer camp operated by the Department of Foods and Nutrition that allows researchers to study how calcium and other nutrients are absorbed in the body by closely monitoring campers’ diets. The camp, which takes place in two three-week intervals, is scheduled for June 13–July 3 and July 11–August 1. This year’s camp will focus on measuring the effects of vitamin D on calcium absorption in Asian, Latina, and Caucasian girls between the ages of 12–14. Get more information on Camp Calcium.

April 13: Felker Series
April 13: CFS Alumni Awards Dinner

April 14: CFS Alumni Board Meeting

April 14: Spring Fashion Show
April 14–15: Spring Fest

April 14–16: Gala Week

April 16: Gerald Paul Book Signing

April 18: CFS Diversity Forum

April 18–25: International Hospitality and Tourism Virtual Conference

April 19: Senior Send Off

May 4: Foods and Nutrition May Conference

May 13: Commencement

May 15–17: Home and Family Conference

May 21: HTM Alumni & Industry Reception, Chicago

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