6 student organizations with an impressive legacy
1. Reamer Club
The Purdue Reamer Club was founded in 1923 as a nonGreek alternative to the Gimlet booster club. Best known as the caretakers of the Boilermaker Special — Purdue’s official mascot — and the Xtra Special, Reamers also take pride in upholding school traditions and supporting major and Olympic sports. Reamers drive the Boilermaker Special to every home and away football game, and the Xtra Special even leads the team onto the field during pregame. The club is also involved with campus philanthropy and is consistently one of the top fundraisers for Purdue’s Relay For Life.
2. Mortar Board
Purdue’s Mortar Board chapter dates back to 1926. Originally called SLS — Service, Leadership, Scholarship — the name changed in 1927. True to its original name, members must exhibit a track record of strong academic performance and engagement with campus life. Through the sale of their famous planners, Mortar Board supports Purdue scholarships and local charitable organizations.
3. Purdue Musical Organizations
Purdue’s musical roots stem from a chapel choir established in 1891, followed by the Glee Club, which was founded in 1893. Al Stewart (-S’31) rode the success of a finalist appearance in Fred Waring’s 1942 Glee Club Sing-Off to bring national attention to the program and create a long-needed home for Purdue music. PMO’s vocal music department offers six choral ensembles and one handbell choir comprising 300 students with majors ranging from engineering to management to biological sciences, as the University does not offer a music major.
4. Railroad Club
The Reamer Club isn’t the only student group on Purdue’s campus that helps take care of a train. Founded in 1935, the Purdue Railroad Club cares for a model set housed in the basement of the Purdue Memorial Union. Visitors are welcome to stop by during the school year on Wednesday and Friday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
5. Iron Key
Iron Key, formally titled the Order of the Iron Key, is a secret organization dating back to 1910. Focused on promoting “the desire to lead on the Purdue campus anonymously,” membership is reserved for seniors. Each year, its 10 members select the incoming membership based on their academics, character, engagement, and leadership. Members are united in common purpose “to do good for the sake of goodness alone” and forbidden from voluntarily disclosing their membership until after graduation.
6. Fantasy Club
The Fantasy Club meets weekly to play a tabletop role-playing system created by Purdue students in 1989 called Adventure Quest: Jaern. The same campaign has been played at Purdue for more than 25 years. It’s reportedly one of the longest-running role-play gaming campaigns in existence!
Did you know about the Golden Taps Ceremony?
The Unfinished Block P memorializes students who pass away before completing their studies. An inscription on the sculpture encourages “Purdue students, alumni, and friends to treasure all that Purdue has blessed us with and to keep the Purdue experience close at heart, not only for ourselves but for all that we loved here and for all those students who, for various reasons, did not get the opportunity to complete the Purdue experience. … Once a part of the experience, we are all together eternally Purdue.” The Golden Taps ceremony is held annually at the Unfinished Block P to honor those who have passed. The tradition was first observed in 1994 by the Pendragon club in Cary Quad. It eventually outgrew Cary and changed locations. Today it includes the reading of students’ names, a moment of silence, and the playing of taps.