Next wave of unit moves at PFW now underway

For the second week in a row, employees from multiple administrative units at Purdue University Fort Wayne find themselves packing up and heading out to new locations across campus. This time around, the caravans of cardboard boxes are filled with items belonging to team members in the Office of Development and Alumni Engagement and student housing’s professional staff.

Development and alumni engagement is transitioning primarily from the Development Building on the Waterfield Campus to the Steel Dynamics Keith E. Busse Alumni Center on the West Campus. That move began Friday and will allow all team members to come together under one roof.

“We are excited about this move and the opportunity it presents to enhance the use and energy for alumni and donors within this great building,” said B. J. Hull, chief development officer.

Minor structural work and technology upgrades to the alumni center are being funded with past rental fee revenue designated for building upkeep and renovation. The project is scheduled to be completed in mid-September.

During this time of transition, any gifts or development paperwork should be delivered to Anna Martin, account clerk, in Kettler Hall, Room 142B.

The new tenants at the Development Building, which will be renamed in the future, will be members of student housing’s administrative team. They include the executive, associate, and assistant directors. Group spaces at that location will be used for events in the evening. The front of the building also serves as a campus shuttle pickup and drop-off location.  

Cole Clubhouse on the Waterfield Campus will still be the primary front desk for current housing residents. It is a natural starting point for housing tours and easy access to a model showroom. In addition to being a check-in spot for a FRIENDS of the University Pantry satellite location, other functions of the front desk include workorder support and mail and parcel pickup.

With more room to maneuver now that multiple offices have transitioned out, evolving strategies for the clubhouse are starting to take shape.

“Later in the fall, we expect to introduce a new campus dining option that will feature night and weekend service while providing more variety for our students,” said Marcus Weemes, executive director of housing and dining services. “This is just one exciting change we’re looking forward to as phase one of a campus-wide expansion of dining services.”

Not just for Mastodons and Red Foxes, outside the clubhouse and Development Building are Amazon locker pickup locations that are also available for the entire community to use 24/7.