In the 1950s and ’60s, the Associated Women Students — an activity group encompassing all of Purdue’s women students — held an annual event known as Dean for a Day, during which students would switch places with the dean of women and her assistant deans. The deans would attend classes, and the students would fulfill the deans’ duties — joining in meetings, conducting freshman interviews, appearing at events, and entertaining visitors. The day before the exchange of responsibilities, the deans accompanied the students to their classes to learn the ropes. Students would campaign for the opportunity, and the campus would elect a few women to take part in the dean swap. Jackie (Buchsbaum) McCallum (LA’56) was chosen to serve…