Purdue Traditions Grand Prix

Purdue Society of Women Engineers

Boilermaker Women Carrying on Years of Traditions

Grand Prix Teams require patience and innovation. There is no shortage of challenges for the Purdue Society of Women Engineers teams (PSWE) as they have not one, but two karts to keep up with. Senior Lauren Lemke and Sophomore Yagmur Onder, both mechanical engineering majors, won’t back down from a challenge. 

Lemke joined the PSWE team in her freshman year because she was interested in the automotive industry and knew that it would be a fantastic opportunity to get hands-on experience.  While teams get to keep the same kart design from year to year, there is always something new that breaks, and members must continuously evolve to fix problems. Lemke thrives in an environment where she gets to face problems and says that it may even be her favorite part. “I really love the problem-solving aspect of fixing things on the fly. The downside is that things have to break to get to the fixing part,” she said. 

The event can be both physically and mentally taxing but going through trials and tribulations brought the PSWE team members closer together. Being involved in the tradition led Onder to see the value of teamwork and to make lifelong friends. “Everyone has such different roles, but it all comes together so perfectly,” she said. “I don’t know if the fans realize how chaotic the day can be for some of the teams, but at the end of the day, it’s a great experience.” 

Lemke feels like it’s all worth it in the end because of the memories she holds on to. “My favorite memory would be the look on our driver’s face when she completed the final lap and placed fifth. She had no idea that she had placed, and we all burst into tears of joy because we saw all our hard work finally pay off,” she said. “Of course, I will also remember all of our long weekends at the tracks, the inside jokes, frustration over inexplicable things breaking, and way way way too early of mornings.” 

Boilermakers continue to be united through innovation and togetherness. The small steps students take while being a part of Purdue Grand Prix leads to problem solving and team building skills.

2021 Race 64 Royalty

Rowan Wallar’s Experience and Service as Race 64 Queen

As soon as Senior Rowan Wallar stepped foot onto Purdue campus, she knew that she wanted to be a part of something bigger than herself. Specifically, she wanted to take small steps by being involved in the Grand Prix Foundation. What she didn’t know, however, was that she’d be crowned as the Queen of the 64th Purdue Grand Prix. 
 
Being a member of The Grand Prix Queen Program is no easy task. Queen candidates must attend regular meetings, persistently promote the event to uphold the excitement and tradition around the race, and complete a community service project where Wallar hosted a food drive for Food Finders. 
 
Wallar was up to the challenge, especially with a powerful community of like-minded Boilermaker women by her side. “The process to becoming Grand Prix Queen is something I cherish more than being crowned itself,” she said. “The people I was surrounded by and the immense amount of continuous support made the process of becoming Grand Prix Queen such a sweet and enjoyable experience.” 
 
Not only is the program dedicated to upholding the decades-long tradition of the Purdue Grand Prix, but also to empowering, developing and celebrating women- values that grew during her time as a candidate and that she continues to uphold in her everyday life.  
 
“Being a part of the Grand Prix Queen Program gave me the opportunity to build the most incredible friendships, grow personally and professionally, and be a part of one of the best Purdue traditions,” Wallar said. “Earning the title of Race 64 Grand Prix Queen is something I will hold near and dear to my heart for forever, as I truly stand for the underlying values of the Queen Program and celebrate every day what women have to offer.” 
 
Purdue University values togetherness and the student experience. Purdue Grand Prix is just one of the many opportunities where Boilermakers can take small steps across campus.

Grand Prix Foundation Scholarships

The Race to Affordable and Accessible Education

The Purdue Grand Prix Foundation provides Boilermakers with a sense of financial relief through the rewarding of yearly scholarships based on their campus involvement and academic achievements. One of the sole focuses of this foundation is to raise money towards these scholarships that are then handed out to Boilermakers. Taylor Schleinkofer, a junior at Purdue University, describes what earning this scholarship has meant to her and why more students should apply. 

“Earning the Race 65 scholarship has allowed me to step outside of my comfort zone. Throughout the application process, I was introduced to many new people and during the upcoming Grand Prix events, I will have the opportunity to make even more connections.” 

The Purdue Grand Prix Foundation distributes over $10,000 worth of scholarship money every year. These scholarships provide opportunities for Purdue students to make connections and build relationships with mentors, further aiding in personal growth and future endeavors. Although applications for this year’s Race 65 Scholarship are closed, students can look to apply in the fall of 2022 for the Race 66 Scholarship on the Grand Prix website.  

Schleinkofer found the application submission to be super easy and encourages more students to apply for this scholarship.  

“Purdue students are fortunate to be provided with many opportunities in and out of the classroom,” states Schleinkofer.  

Take your next giant leap with Purdue University and explore all the scholarship programs that are offered!

The Grand Prix Queen Contest

Taking Smell Steps in the Grand Prix Queen Contest

Finding where you belong in college can be challenging. Here at Purdue, Junior Cayla Woten found her place in the Grand Prix Queen Program, a part of the Grand Prix Foundation that’s designed to support and uplift high-achieving female students that wish to promote the spirit of Grand Prix on campus and within the community. 

Woten knew she wanted to join the program because of its focus on uplifting Boilermaker women, a value that’s close to her heart. “When I saw the premise behind the program, to make women stronger and support fellow women, I knew I had to apply.  

Since joining the program Cayla has found a group of people that will be there for her. This program strives on inclusivity and togetherness for women in the Foundation. Working together towards a common goal and sharing similar experiences has helped to bring everyone together. 

Woten is thrilled to be part of a long-held Purdue tradition while growing alongside strong, academically minded women. But she’s most grateful that it’s given her another reason to call Purdue home. 

“To me, the Grand Prix Queen program means women empowering women,” Woten said. “The program is built on socially and professionally developing a group of women, and that is so special to me as an advocate of equality and women’s rights.” 

With the opportunities for students to take small steps across campus, Purdue continues to uplift its community through programs like the Grand Prix Queen Program. Together, these programs will ensure our next giant leap.