“Rave Guardian.” The name sounds like something straight out of a superhero movie. But this isn’t a reboot of the Marvel Universe – it’s a smartphone app and it’s freely available to all members of the Purdue University Fort Wayne campus community.
Even though “Rave Guardian” may not wear a cape and fly to the rescue of civilians in distress, the free app is a tool that can help keep members of the PFW campus community safe through a variety of services and utilities.
“Everybody on campus should know about it – your faculty, staff, students,” said sergeant Rick Wiegmann of the PFW police.
Wiegmann is no stranger to either police work or the PFW campus. July first will mark his sixteenth year as a member of the PFW police department. In charge of field training for PFW’s police officers, Wiegmann also leads one of the day shifts on campus.
Wiegmann explained that “Rave Guardian” is actually a combination of two separate services that have been combined into one app.
Home screen of Rave Guardian appSettings in Rave GuardianChat options
On the one hand, the “Rave” portion of the app allows campus authorities, including the PFW police department, to issue warnings and alerts to members of the campus community.
Say for instance that a traffic accident has occurred on Coliseum Boulevard, blocking access to the Coliseum entrance to campus. The PFW police can issue a warning through “Rave Guardian” telling students, faculty, and staff not to come to campus via the Coliseum entrance.
Yet another use for these emergency warnings could be severe weather impacting the campus, such as the campus closing down due to severe cold.
But that’s only one portion of the app.
Wiegmann detailed how the “Guardian” portion of the app allows the user to contact the PFW police either via phone call or text message. Such contacts could be for any number of reasons.
One use of the “Guardian” feature is when a student has to walk to their car or to their dorm room alone. Perhaps classes went late and it’s dark out. In that case, the student can turn on Rave Guardian and actually ask the PFW police to monitor their progress as they walk to their destination. Based on the geolocation data coming from the student’s phone, the police are able to watch their physical progress and direction as they walk from their classroom to their car or home destination.
From Campus Police to Mom: ‘Rave Guardian’ Lets Loved Ones Keep Watch at PFW
But it’s not just the PFW police that can be asked to be “Guardians.”
Mom, dad, a sibling, or a close friend can also be added by a “Rave Guardian” user as a “guardian.” In that case, a student will contact their “guardian” and ask them to watch their progress as they head home.
“Mom can watch you walk,” Wiegmann explained.
For those students concerned about their privacy, rest assured that Rave Guardian isn’t always on.
“There’s an on and off switch,” Wiegmann said.
This means that a student can turn on Rave Guardian when they feel the need to have someone with them virtually, then shut off the app when they arrive at their destination.
‘Rave Guardian’ App Enhances Campus Safety at PFW
Rave Guardian does have some other unique features in addition to the “guardian” option. For example, the app allows users to report suspicious activity on campus. Since that report can be done via text message within the app, users can quietly and quickly notify PFW police of a developing situation, giving the officers valuable time and information to respond.
One of the most prominent features of the app is that it provides a “911” call option on the app’s home page. If there is a true emergency that requires immediate response from emergency services, users have the ability to quickly dial 911 right from the app without needing to pull up their normal cellphone calling/dialing screen.
Rave Guardian provides the PFW community a quick way to connect with PFW police and emergency services, but monitoring “Rave Guardian” requests and messages is only one of the services the PFW police department offers.
Sergeant Wiegmann explained that the PFW police are available to assist students, staff or faculty who have locked themselves out of their car. The officers can also help jump-start a car with a dead battery or they can provide guidance in changing a flat tire.
In addition to their virtual “walk alongside” via the Rave Guardian app, PFW police are also available to escort students to their cars or dorms if the student is feeling a bit nervous about traveling to their destination alone.
“If you have a student who says, ‘Hey, I’m kinda scared,’ we can give them an escort,” Wiegmann said.
But there’s a challenge with offering these services – getting campus users to actually download the app and take advantage of all it has to offer.
“That’s one of the issues – getting everybody to sign up,” Wiegmann said.
To help increase awareness of the app, especially for new incoming students to PFW, the PFW police will provide convenient handouts of information at orientation. Those handouts include QR codes that link to a variety of PFW campus websites and resources, including where to download Rave Guardian.
For more information about Rave Guardian and where to download the app, visit the campus safety and security website. The PFW police department can be contacted via their non-emergency number at 260-481-6827. For any emergency, you should call 911 immediately.
The end of a busy day at Purdue University Fort Wayne usually sees a varying scene of homeward bound students, professors, and staff members.
An endless row of cars pours out of the exits of the campus. Buildings that resonated with the hum of scholars’ voices gradually fall silent as the twinkle of lights shine out in the gathering dusk. Night has wrapped the campus in a dark, comforting blanket as the day’s academic life comes to an end.
Or does it?
For at least some students and one professor on campus, dusk is the herald of a night’s work to begin, because it’s only at night that an earth-based telescope can begin traversing the heavens in its constant quest for knowledge. And PFW’s department of physics will soon begin their voyage of astronomical discovery with the “UFO Observatory.”
Many people would assume that “UFO” stands for “unidentified flying object.” But for PFW’s astronomers and astrophysicists, UFO actually means something closer to home – the “Undergraduate Fun Observatory.”
The story of the UFO observatory actually began almost a decade ago. In 2016, then-professor of physics Stephen Gillam had helped spearhead a project to create and deploy an observatory on the IPFW campus, according to a report from WANE15.
WANE15 reported that the total project came at a price tag of $27,000, but what the observatory had to offer was well worth the price.
The observatory consists of a large white dome that can slide open, revealing the 8-inch reflector telescope inside. Telescopes include a variety of designs and types, including reflector and refractor ones.
Installation of the observatory on campusPhotos Courtesy of Professor Eugenio UrsinoObservatory located at the roof of Parking Garage 3
According to NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, reflector telescopes use mirrors to help gather and focus star light that an astronomer can then see. This is a different process of light gathering versus a refractor telescope, which utilizes lenses, not mirrors, to gather and focus light.
PFW’s telescope is not large, but it provides students, staff, and the Fort Wayne public with a great opportunity to survey the cosmos.
Professor Eugenio Ursino, assistant professor of physics at PFW, explained that PFW’s observatory really serves two purposes: one for students, and one for the greater Fort Wayne community.
“It just makes sense that they learn how to use a telescope,” Ursino said about PFW physics students using the observatory. He explained that physics students who want to pursue their masters’ degrees in astronomy will be expected to know how to use a telescope.
Such knowledge could include something as simple as knowing where to point the telescope to see something in the cosmos or something as advanced as using a computer program to electronically control and “steer” a telescope.
But Ursino’s goals with the PFW observatory go beyond the classroom, as the telescope provides an integral part of the “Friday Night at the Observatory” program held on the PFW campus.
According to the PFW Department of Physics’ webpage, the third Friday of every month during the academic year sees the department of physics offer a program called “Friday Night at the Observatory.” During these events, which are open to anyone from the public, professors at PFW provide a lecture on a selected topic. Following the lecture, assuming the weather is amenable, attendees to the lecture are welcome to spend some time stargazing at the UFO Observatory.
At least, that was the idea.
Ursino mentioned that the original location of the UFO Observatory was not ideal for stargazing, for a couple of reasons. For one thing, the observatory was located outdoors across St. Joe Road, behind the PFW Surplus Center store on the eastern side of campus. That location, next to a parking lot in a grassy field, was susceptible to mud, making a trek to the observatory an uncomfortable and wet experience for stargazing lovers.
Yet another issue was that of temperature. Since the observatory is an outdoor affair, using the telescope during the colder months of the year was not the most pleasant experience.
But those issues are set to become problems of the past.
Just this year, the observatory has moved to a new location on top of Parking Garage 3. That’s a major improvement, because it means visitors to the observatory can now simply park their cars in the garage and walk on solid, non-muddy concrete to the telescope.
But wait, there’s more.
One of the features of the observatory since its inception has been the ability of users to control the telescope via a computer. Ursino described how the idea was that users could remotely control the movements of the telescope and observe galactic phenomena without needing to be physically present. Unfortunately, over time, the various pieces of equipment broke down or needed replacing.
Thankfully, a new computer has been added to the observatory’s technical arsenal, and Ursino is working towards making the observatory remotely controllable. This is a big achievement for the Friday Night at the Observatory program, because it means attendees to the program get a chance to stargaze from the comforts of the indoor lecture hall.
Professor Ursino mentioned that there are several other future astronomy projects and updates in the works for the UFO observatory and the department. Work is still being completed on making sure all the electronics and power systems are operational for the observatory.
For Ursino, the goal of the observatory for PFW’s students is simple:
“Student[s] engaged in simple research,” he said when asked about the impact of the observatory.
That simple research is just the tip of the iceberg for the UFO observatory, as it helps students and Fort Wayne reach for the stars and beyond.
A top notch facility. Collegiate level instruction. And the chance to get your hands on professional-level audio equipment and produce original recordings.
That’s what is being offered, and more, at the Music Technology Camp, coming up July 14-17 at the PFW Sweetwater Music Center. Located just a stone’s throw away from the renown Sweetwater company headquarters, the PFW Sweetwater Music Center will be hosting a group of young students interested in the ins and outs of music technology.
“I see it as an outreach to what students know about career paths that they might never have heard about before,” professor John Buteyn said.
He’s the man for the job when it comes to all things music and technology related. Buteyn is currently clinical assistant professor of music at PFW’s School of Music and the director of the Music Technology Camp. In addition to his classroom teaching, he also helps lead PFW’s very own music recording label, Gold Top Music Group.
For Buteyn, the Music Technology Camp is a way to expose pre-college students to what careers and opportunities exist in the music field. He explained that high school students may not know the variety and depth of career opportunities available to musicians today.
However, when Buteyn first came to PFW in 2020, there was no Music Technology Camp to offer.
At the time Buteyn was settling in as a professor at PFW, folks at Fort Wayne Community Schools were looking for new opportunities for summer camps they could offer to students who were part of the GEAR UP program.
According to Buteyn, GEAR UP is a program for high school students in the Fort Wayne Community Schools system that helps students navigate their time through high school. That assistance can include such things as mentorship, scholarship programs, and visits to various prospective colleges at which the students may decide to enroll after graduating from high school.
When the Community Arts Academy learned of the interest the GEAR UP program had in a new music summer camp, they approached Buteyn about possibly creating a camp to meet that need. Buteyn jumped at the opportunity and the Music Technology Camp was born.
“I saw a need for it and offered it,” Buteyn said.
Now in its fourth year, the camp offers students diverse opportunities to use technology in the professional music technology field. And those experiences begin on day one of the camp.
Buteyn explained that on the first day, he spends time getting to know the students, their interests, and what they hope to learn or accomplish.
“When they first walk in the door, we’ll just spend a little bit of time getting to know one another,” Buteyn said. “You want people to feel comfortable when they’re in a creative space.”
From that first meeting, Buteyn learns about the students’ music experiences and what music they may have played or even written.
At the end of their first full day, students will have created a plan for what they want to do. It could be doing a recorded performance of a song that a commercial band has already recorded. Alternatively, the students may want to give free reign to their creative abilities and write their own unique song.
Whichever route the students decide to go, by the end of their first day they have become familiar with their surroundings, they know what they would like to record, and they’re ready to begin the whirlwind process of performing, recording, editing, and mixing an actual song.
Days two and three see Buteyn, his college helpers from the PFW School of Music, and the student campers busy at work making their creative vision a reality. The PFW Sweetwater Music Center is fully equipped for any recording situation, including musical instruments, professional recording studios, and capable computers that can record, edit, and mix the final music product.
Recording a piece of music takes a lot of work and effort, including figuring out how to properly mic the instruments so the end result is a pleasing composition to the ear. Sometimes, the students have to record a piece of music or even a section of a song multiple times to get just the right “take.”
But the students’ job isn’t finished with the completion of the recording. Once the recording is done, the students learn how to edit the recording until it meets their musical expectations.
To get that editing done, Buteyn introduces the camp attendees to different software packages used for computer editing of recordings. These software packages, called “Digital Audio Workstations” or DAWs for short, are standard pieces of software used in the industry. Programs like Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Ableton Live, and other DAWs are all possible software options that students can use and learn during their time at camp.
By the end of the camp on day four, the students have written, recorded, edited, mixed, and completed their very own recording of a song that they can then show their friends and family. To help celebrate that achievement, camp finishes on a high note with students having lunch at Sweetwater’s Downbeat Diner.
Buteyn said that the camp is open to any students in grades 9-12. Typically, students come from area high schools like Snider, Northrop, or Homestead. Student campers are allowed to bring their own instruments with them if they like, but the camp has many instruments available for use by the campers.
July 14-17 will be a whirlwind of activity for Buteyn, his collegiate student helpers, and the student attendees. The camp gives them a great opportunity to experience so much of what music professionals in the industry do as a career. With professional tools, coaching, and a learning environment centered on meeting students’ interests and goals, the Music Technology Camp will open the music doors of the future to the student musicians of today.
For more information about the Music Technology Camp, contact Professor John Buteyn at jbuteyn@pfw.edu. For more information about all the various camps offered by the Community Arts Academy or scholarship opportunities for these camps, contact Molly Papier, Director of the Community Arts Academy, at mpapier@pfw.edu.
The long hallways of PFW’s Music Center glisten in the morning sunshine. A seemingly endless row of doors line one side of the thoroughfare. Inside most of those doorways are pianos, all of which wait expectantly. This week, close to two dozen talented student pianists will be entering those doors and vigorously practicing on those pianos as part of the Gene Marcus Piano Camp & Festival.
Running from June 8-13, the camp offers an immersive experience with daily lessons and activities, including workshops, masterclasses, evening recitals, and group sessions.
This year, students coming to the camp were treated on opening day to a faculty recital Sunday evening followed by orientation and other information. For the next five days, the young pianists-in-residence will follow an invigorating schedule of piano study, taking piano lessons, playing and studying piano music, attending lectures by guest teachers, and attending masterclasses taught by faculty.
Previous edition of the Gene Marcus Piano Camp & Festival (Photo: Community Arts Academy)
One of the many offerings at the camp is the chance to study with a guest artist – an expert in the field of piano playing and performing. This year’s artist is Thomas “TJ” Lymenstull, a graduate of the prestigious Eastman School of Music and a newly-retired faculty member from the Interlochen Academy of the Arts.
He will be performing a solo recital of repertoire on Monday, June 9, at Rinehart Recital Hall, as well as teaching a masterclass for the camp attendees.
Masterclasses are a unique opportunity for students to receive one-on-one instruction from a well-known specialist in the field. Lymenstull’s masterclass is only one of several such classes which students will be taking at the camp.
Now entering its 14th year, the Gene Marcus Piano Camp was founded and organized by PFW’s own Dr. Hamilton Tescarollo, now director of Keyboard Studies for the PFW School of Music.
Tescarollo explained that when he first came to PFW in 2007 as a new professor of piano, one of the first objectives he was asked to accomplish was to create a summer music camp for young pianists. And he was happy to tackle the challenge.
“It all started with encouraging piano playing in the area and beyond,” he said.
That love of encouraging piano playing is not new among PFW School of Music faculty. In fact, the entire reason such an event is even possible is due to a generous endowment that a former PFW music faculty member left to the school for such a purpose, Wilda “Gene” Marcus.
Tescarollo explained that Marcus had taught for roughly twenty years at PFW (then Indiana University -Purdue University Fort Wayne, or IPFW). A piano teacher with the then-department of Music faculty, Marcus had been heavily involved with the music life and scene of Fort Wayne.
In 2005, Marcus passed away, leaving an endowment to PFW’s School of Music to continue the effort of providing opportunities for young pianists.
Starting with his arrival at PFW in 2007, Tescarollo crafted and launched the brand new Gene Marcus Piano Camp in 2012 as one of the offerings provided by the College of Visual and Performing Arts through their Community Arts Academy.
Tescarollo and the other faculty of the camp are now hard at work getting ready to welcome pianists from all across the country.
Students attend a previous edition of the Gene Marcus Piano Camp & Festival (Photo: Community Arts Academy)
“From the first one [camp], we had already opened it up to students from anywhere essentially,” Tescarollo said. “It is both a commuter camp and a residential camp.”
Attendees will consist of both commuters coming every day to study and residential campers who stay on campus in the PFW dormitory facilities. The cost for attending the camp ($450 – $550) includes lunch and dinner throughout the week.
Students come with some repertoire that they are ready to share in a public performance. Faculty at the camp then work with the students to polish that repertoire.
But students are learning more than how to polish their already-learned repertoire. In the course of a week, students will get a chance to watch and listen to guest artist recitals.
Some of the recitals are played by faculty teaching at the camp, including Dr. Jonathan Young, Christine Freeman, and Susan Dorion. Still other recitals will be played by young, up-and-coming piano artists, including Allyn Beifus and Andrew Nestler, both recent graduates and piano majors at the PFW School of Music.
Camp life, though, includes more than just piano study. New this year, students will have the opportunity to go kayaking right on the PFW campus. Friday afternoon, the last day of the camp, students will get the opportunity to walk around campus and celebrate the completion of a week of piano study.
The culmination of all that work? A concert Friday evening played by the student pianists of learned repertoire at the camp.
That final Friday performance of repertoire in front of one’s peers is part of the unique experiences provided at the Gene Marcus Piano Camp. As Tescarollo explained, one of the goals of the week is to give students experience in playing and performing their repertoire, both for each other and for their families.
Performing repertoire can be a daunting experience, but receiving instruction and tips from experienced performing pianists is part of what these student pianists will gain by attending.
“The idea is to inspire them to then practice and do this for the rest of the year,” Tescarollo stated. For him, encouraging piano students in their study and appreciation of the instrument is the key goal of the piano camp. And the camp attendees are responding very favorably to that encouragement.
“Many students come back over and over as much as possible [to the camp],” Tescarollo said.
Part of the experience that the camp offers student pianists is an opportunity to learn and grow as pianists.
“In some cases, there might be students who have never done a duet,” Tescarollo said. He explained that this camp provides students with an opportunity to learn and grow, but in a learning environment where they get to meet other like-minded young pianists who are also eager to learn.
That opportunity to get to meet and study with other young pianists is one of the great aspects of the camp.
“I hear about them keeping in touch throughout the year and they become friends,” Tescarollo said. “That’s a pretty wonderful thing.”
June 8-13 is just one short week that will come and go in the blink of the eye. But for the young pianists attending the Gene Marcus Piano Camp, that one week can influence them to greater artistic endeavors for a lifetime.
That’s the day when America will take a brief pause in the hustle and bustle of daily living to thank the countless men and women of the United States armed forces for their service in protecting and defending the freedoms we all enjoy.
Some of those men and women are still alive to receive our thanks. Others paid the ultimate price and will never see their loved ones again except in eternity.
After Memorial Day comes May 27, a Tuesday, with life returning back to “normal.”
But the veterans are still there. And they still need support.
The US Department of Labor reports on the webpage of their Transition Assistance Program that, every year, roughly 200,000 men and women depart from the US armed forces and re-enter the civilian world.
The US Department of Veterans Affairs reports that in 2018 alone, 669,922 US military veterans took advantage of the benefits the VA offers to advance their education.
But there’s a lot of drastic life changes that accompany a military veteran’s switch from military life to civilian life.
PurdueFort Wayne’s Office of Military Student Services/Facebook Page
Dr. Michael Kirchner, a professor of Organizational Leadership at PFW and one of four faculty members recognized with a 2025 featured faculty award, knows what it’s like to transition from the military into college life.
He’s done that. He’s a veteran.
Currently, Kirchner is an associate professor and the graduate program director for PFW’s Department of Organizational Leadership. But his journey to becoming a professor and working with military veterans began with his own military service in the early 2000s.
Kirchner joined the army national guard in 2001, right before the 9/11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon building. Three years later, in 2004, Kirchner’s unit was deployed to Baghdad, Iraq.
At the time, Kirchner was enrolled in college at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. However, his deployment delayed his college work by a year.
Returning home, Kirchner needed some time to recuperate from his experience.
“When you’re serving in a combat zone, you’re always ‘on’,” Kirchner said.
He explained that, when you’re deployed, you really don’t relax or goof off much. It’s strictly business, and a deadly one at that.
“We’re about 7-8 months into the deployment, and I’m going, ‘I can’t think of a day in the last 4 months where I haven’t at least heard explosions or gunfire’,” Kirchner reminisced.
Returning home from that experience, Kirchner said the biggest challenge was simply shutting down his deployment mindset.
“To return home and all of a sudden be expected to just shut down and return to normal, that’s a tall-ask,” he said.
Kirchner’s life eventually found him working with other military veterans who were transitioning from military to civilian life, particularly that of the college world. During Kirchner’s time as a student at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, he was tapped to help create a veterans’ student organization at the university. In three months, over 50 vets had signed up for the organization, and that was what really began Kirchner’s passion for working with veterans in the collegiate world.
Kirchner detailed some of the challenges that veterans face when they transition from a military life to the civilian life found on college campuses like PFW.
Some vets that enroll in college are still coming to terms with their experiences in combat zones and deployments. Others face a major cultural shift as they leave the camaraderie of the military and enter a new, strange civilian world devoid initially of that military companionship.
“They lose that brotherhood and that community that they built in the military,” Nicole Welsh said.
She is the Senior Compliance Officer for PFW’s Office of Military Student Services. Although not a veteran herself, Welsh grew up with much of her family having served in the military, so she has familiarity with what the military veteran experience is like.
Nicole WelshMichael Kirchner
Welsh expanded on the concept of lost military companionship for military veteran students.
“They come in here as non-traditional students who have already had a full career,” she said. “[They] have already lived a very different life than most people on this campus.”
But it’s not just the military culture that student vets miss when they come to PFW. They also have to deal with a lost sense of purpose.
“When you serve, you have a very clear understanding of your job,” Professor Kirchner said.
He explained that, when someone serves in the military, the goals of the job are very clearly laid out. The outcome of a job and its impact on the overall unit are equally understood. However, when a person leaves the military and becomes a civilian, they can face a crisis of trying to establish their new identity.
“When you lose that, you lose part of your identity and your purpose, Kirchner reiterated.
One parallel Kirchner used to explain this loss of identity is to that of someone who retires from a career in the civilian world. That person’s career can become a big part of who they are and how they define themselves as a person. When they retire, they undergo a similar experience to that of military veterans in trying to re-establish what their identity in life is.
In spite of all the challenges that military veterans may face when shifting to a civilian lifestyle after the miliary, there are many resources which can help smooth the transition.
One of those resources is PFW’s Military Student Services. Welsh mentioned that her office helps military vet students work through all of the various benefits offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (frequently called the “VA), as well as tuition assistance.
“We go through those benefits and help them get through some of those loops and red tape that they see with the VA and with tuition assistance,” Welsh explained. “And we help guide them through that process just to make it easier.”
Welsh mentioned that the Office of Military Student Services is quite small. The entire staff for the office consists of only herself, her immediate supervisor, and six student employees, most of whom are military vets themselves.
Together, that small team serves the needs of nearly 200 military veteran students on the PFW campus.
Christian Long (L) and Bryce Evans (R)
What those military veterans want to pursue as a career or field of study following their military service varies by the individual. One of the student workers at the Military Student Services is Bryce Evans, a history major.
Evans spent eight years in the US Navy, serving aboard submarines. When he completed his military service, he was ready to tackle a new life challenge.
“When I tapped out, I was done as far as military services goes,” Evans mentioned. “I wanted to come back to civilian life and focus on that and start a new chapter.”
Evans explained that his transition to civilian life was relatively easy, since he spent the latter portion of his military service on shore duty, allowing him to re-integrate with the civilian world gradually. He began his college career by taking classes online at PFW in August of 2023, right before he officially completed his military service in October of that year.
However, as Evans mentioned, the transition from military to civilian life can vary depending on the individual. One student worker at the Military Student Services office is a current, active-duty soldier, Christian Long.
Long is serving in the army national guard, as well as the PFW US Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program offered on campus. He is in a unique place in life, as he takes on the challenges of being both a soldier and a full-time student.
“So, it feels like I’m always around army or military stuff, but then I go home at night and it’s not,” Long said. He explained that serving as a soldier and studying as a full-time student was like having two personalities that he switched between depending on what was being asked of him.
“You have two different information sets in your mind,” Long said.
Students Long and Evans, and Professor Kirchner took different routes in the military and tread various pathways to enter college. However, they all agreed that the Military Student Services office at PFW is a great resource to help all military veterans succeed in their transition to a civilian life.
“PFW’s military student services and our financial aid offices are great starting points to help military-affiliated students including their dependents understand the programs that might be available,” Kirchner pointed out.
But even with offices like the Military Student Services, PFW’s student veterans still face some challenges.
One challenge is that the office suite of Military Student Services is simply hard to find. Tucked away in one of the farthest corners of the oldest classroom building on campus, Kettler Hall, the office feels very removed and remote from the rest of the campus.
Military Student Services – Front DeskMilitary Student Services – Lounge
“If more people knew where our office was, it would be great,” Long said. “You have to walk past all these people getting back here.”
Long isn’t kidding. To get to Military Student Services, one has to follow a lengthy hallway that feels miles long as it wends its way in serpentine fashion past countless administrative offices. A few signs point out the direction where the Office is located, but one feels as if they were violating a university policy to walk back so far into the warren of office suites.
The isolated location of the Office of Military Student Services isn’t the only challenge Welsh and her team face.
The office suite for Military Student Services is quite small. Although there is a little bit of room for students to come back and study or relax, the quarters are a bit cramped. A few tiny rooms serve as spots where students can come and study or hold consultations, but large gatherings are not really possible.
The remoteness and small area of the Military Student Services office also impact efforts to network military veteran students with civilian students.
Student workers Long and Evans both explained that even though the office suite is the Military Student Services area, they are very open to talking and interacting with veteran and non-veteran students like.
“Anybody can come hang out or ask questions or just chat,” Long mentioned.
Evans commented that it would be great if there could be a military lounge or area in a more publicly visible space that would allow both military veterans and civilian students to stop by and interact freely.
Professor Kirchner agreed that a bigger lounge area would be helpful to military veterans transitioning to the civilian life.
“One of those big aspects of veterans’ transition experience that is a challenge is that lost camaraderie,” Kirchner explained. “Well, without a social lounge, it’s difficult to regain that.”
Senior Compliance Officer Welsh, the student veterans who work at Military Student Services, and Professor Kirchner, are quite appreciative of having a space dedicated to serving the needs of student veterans. However, a bigger space in a more well-trafficked area of campus would give Welsh and her team a double opportunity.
A larger area with a bigger social lounge would help provide a space for student military vets to rebuild their social camaraderie that they left when retiring from the military. Additionally, a large space would give the new PFW chapter of the Student Veterans of America organzation a more accessible place to meet and welcome civilian and military students.
Although challenges remain for military veterans transitioning to civilian life at universities, PFW, under the careful mentorship and guidance of Professor Kirchner and Nicole Welsh, is positioned to reach out and help a variety of military veterans and their dependents.
But perhaps most importantly, the Military Student Services and their activities are helping to bridge the gap between the life experiences of military veterans and civilian students. Thanks to Welsh and her team, efforts are now in place to help establish networks and friendships for students of both military and civilian background.
May 26, 2025, will come and go. But PFW’s military veteran students will continue to be remembered and supported.
At a time when overall religious affiliation among young adults is declining, students at Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW) who practice faith face unique challenges and opportunities. As national surveys show a drop in religious identity among college students, faith-based organizations on the PFW campus work to foster inclusion and community amid a shifting culture.
According to the 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study from the Pew Research Center, religious disaffiliation among young adults may have leveled off since 2019.
However, the levels of disaffiliation remain significantly higher than in past decades, with only 69% describing themselves as belonging to an organized religion compared to 83.7% in 2007.
Additional research from the CIRP Freshman Survey 2019 indicates that the number of college freshmen who identify as nonreligious has risen from about 10% in 1986 to 33.6% in 2019.
Despite a decline in participation in organized religion, faith-based campus organizations continue to serve as spaces for spiritual growth and community.
PFW is home to several religious organizations, including Campus Ministry, Mastodon Catholic, and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. These groups allow students to connect with others who share similar beliefs while also fostering a welcoming environment that promotes belonging and outreach.
These campus organizations are not limited to solely the Christian faith, with PFW also featuring organizations of other faiths, such as the Muslim Student Association, which is dedicated to creating a positive environment for students to learn about Islam.
Zach Gaerte, a student leader and treasurer of Campus Ministry, emphasized the group’s mission.
“Our focus is on building a welcoming community where students can grow in their faith,” he said. “We are open to anyone, regardless of faith or background, and we work hard to create an environment where people feel supported.”
Campus Ministry, a student-led, recognized religious organization on the PFW campus, holds service events, social events, and weekly meetings on Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m.
“We’ve done events like worship nights, winter retreats, and even a winter formal,” Gaerte added. “All are welcome to join the community and hear us out.”
For religious students, balancing their beliefs with their studies can be troublesome, and finding time for their faith can be difficult.
Kate Landrigan, a Catholic student at PFW, related to this struggle.
“Between exams, projects, and work, it’s hard to set aside time for my faith,” she said. “When you are up till 12:30 doing homework, it’s hard not to feel exhausted.”
Landrigan also noted that some misconceptions about religious students do exist, though not to a large degree.
“Some people assume that all Christians are judgmental, which isn’t true,” she explained. “I’ve also found it difficult to express my beliefs because many of my classmates aren’t religious, which is okay, but it doesn’t stop it from feeling hard sometimes.”
Gaerte, the student leader, also spoke of misconceptions about religious students.
“Some may have the idea that if you are religious, you are judgmental and aren’t accepting of others,” he said. “Everyone is their own individual with their own beliefs, and while there are obviously bad apples in every group, that is not our mindset, and I guarantee you, if you spoke to any of us, we would be willing to hear you out.”
In terms of administrative support for religious organizations and individuals, PFW is generally seen as supportive of religious freedoms and expression. Organizations like the Campus Ministry are treated the same as any other club or recognized group on campus.
“We go through all the same administrative red tape as other organizations and pay for the event space we use just like everyone else,” Gaerte said. “The school has been great about letting us operate, and we are extremely grateful.”
PFW provides space for religious organizations, but faculty members acknowledge gaps in institutional support.
Sherrie Steiner, an anthropology and sociology professor at PFW who teaches religious courses, pointed out that the university lacks a designated interfaith space.
“Some universities provide multi-faith centers where students of all religions can pray or reflect,” she said. “PFW has student organizations, but to my knowledge, there’s no dedicated space for prayer.”
Despite this limitation, Steiner noted that PFW has historically supported students’ religious expression. She recalled a past controversy involving a student play that depicted a Christ-like figure as gay.
“The administration defended students’ rights to stage production, despite some community backlash,” Steiner said.
According to a 2001 ABC News article, officials at the university, then named IPFW, protected students’ rights to put on the play while simultaneously allowing for demonstrators against the play, providing they didn’t carry weapons or signs.
While national trends show a decline in religious affiliation, faith-based groups at PFW continue to boast high engagement with students.
Gaerte, of the Campus Ministry, mentioned that their weekly ministry gatherings usually draw between 60 and 75 students. While the group doesn’t prioritize attendance figures, he noted it’s uplifting to witness strong student engagement.
As religious demographics continue to shift, the role of religious organizations in higher education will likely evolve to engage individuals from diverse faith backgrounds or even those without a specific religious affiliation.
Professor Steiner also spoke of something in a similar vein regarding what religious disaffiliation truly means.
“So as people get younger, they’ve been disaffiliating. Not necessarily spiritual but disaffiliating from formal religious organizations,” Steiner said. “Oftentimes, they have sacred beliefs, but… It’s not affiliated with any specific church,” Steiner said.
At PFW, religious students navigate the challenges of faith in an increasingly religiously disaffiliated environment. While some misconceptions persist and institutional support remains neutral, organizations like Campus Ministry provide a sense of belonging for spiritual students.
As national trends indicate a decline in religious identity, students like Landrigan and Gaerte demonstrate that faith still plays a meaningful role in college life.
“Even if fewer people identify with a specific religion, community will always be important,” Landrigan, a religious student said. “Faith is still a core part of many students’ lives.”
ROANOKE, Ind – Hot billowing smoke curled along the ceiling. Flames raced up the walls and consumed the entire upstairs in minutes. That was the scene Blake Smith found himself facing on a calm spring morning, mere hours after a quiet night of family games with his brother.
What began as an ordinary morning quickly unraveled into chaos and devastation. Smith, who had returned home late and fallen asleep on the couch in just a bathrobe, was awakened not by smoke or alarms—but by his cat.
“I woke up with my cat on my chest, headbutting and meowing at me, which he didn’t normally do,” Smith said. “I woke up and knew something was wrong.”
Following the mechanical clanking of pipes in his utility room, Smith discovered the water heater lines shaking violently—the water inside boiling from the heat of a fire rapidly spreading through the house. By the time he reached the stairs, the entire upstairs was engulfed in flames. He grabbed his cat, wallet, and keys, and fled.
The fire, later determined to be electrical in nature, had been sparked by repeated flipping of a faulty breaker switch—a miscommunication between Smith and his wife the night before. The result: total loss of their home.
Despite the devastation, Smith found a new purpose. Just weeks after relocating to the nearby town of Roanoke, he applied to become a full-time volunteer firefighter. While his interest in firefighting predated the fire, the experience made the value of the profession vividly clear.
For about a year, Smith served with the Roanoke Volunteer Fire Department, undergoing rigorous training, responding to emergency calls, and sacrificing personal time to answer the call of duty. He describes his experience as life-changing.
“I enjoyed every minute of it,” he said. “I was drawn to the nobility of the work—to serve and be there when someone needs help.”
Roanoke Volunteer Fire Department (Photo: Facebook)
Underpaid, Overexposed: The Realities of Firefighting
Firefighters face one of the highest-risk professions in the country, yet their compensation often does not reflect the dangers they confront. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for firefighters is around $56,000—over $10,000 less than similarly classified high-risk jobs like law enforcement.
Contrary to public perception, most firefighter calls are not fire-related. They’re often the first to respond to vehicle crashes, medical emergencies, and public safety hazards.
“{I} want to be there in a time of crisis and help somebody who needs it—help them calm down and make sure they get the proper care,” said Dave Meitzer, a 14-year veteran of the Roanoke Fire Department.
Meitzer recalls one such moment that defined his service. On Feb. 18, while driving his wife to the hospital, he spotted a vehicle crash up the road. Flames had begun to lick the underside of the car. With the help of a passerby, Meitzer pulled the injured driver from the wreckage seconds before the vehicle was consumed by fire.
His wife, Sherry Meitzer, an EMT, immediately began administering aid on the roadside. The man survived.
Fires That Change Lives
Blake Smith is not alone in having lost a home to fire. Carmen Catellier’s house was destroyed on Feb. 1, after an electrical malfunction ignited a blaze in the basement.
“My kids were downstairs and noticed a bad smell,” Catellier said. She quickly gathered her children, including her youngest who froze in fear, and carried them out of the home. It took nearly 45 minutes for a technician to arrive and shut off the electricity.
“We literally had to sit there and watch our house burn,” she said. While the home was declared a total loss, the quick action of firefighters helped salvage sentimental items—and, most importantly, saved lives.
Clarece Ramsey, who experienced a chimney fire a decade ago, credits heat-resistant insulation for saving her home. A firefighter’s post-fire inspection revealed the chimney had been cracked, not just dirty—meaning future fires would have been inevitable had it gone undiagnosed.
These moments underscore how firefighters do far more than extinguish flames. They assess risk, prevent further tragedy, and offer reassurance during people’s worst days.
More Than a Paycheck
Despite the emotional and physical toll, many firefighters stay for one reason: purpose.
“It’s about the people,” Meitzer said. “The appreciation, the ability to help—it’s worth more than the paycheck.”
Still, the community’s role doesn’t end with calling 911. From supporting adequate pay and training to simply expressing gratitude, recognizing the value of firefighters is a collective responsibility.
Whether it’s Smith’s cat sounding the alarm, a stranger pulling someone from a car, or a firefighter inspecting a chimney that could’ve caused another blaze—each act matters.
And sometimes, out of the ashes, someone finds their calling.
For Purdue University Fort Wayne’s Class of 2025, this year’s commencement ceremony is more than the culmination of a college education—it is a long-awaited celebration of resilience. Today at 4 p.m., about 800 students are expected to graduate at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, many of whom never got the chance to walk the stage at their high school graduation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is very important to me,” said Bayley McDonald, a senior graduating with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a minor in communication studies. “It was really disappointing to miss out on my prom, musical, and graduation ceremony. I invited as many family and friends as possible.”
For students like McDonald, this commencement represents a sense of redemption—an opportunity to make meaningful memories before taking their next steps into the workforce or graduate school.
PFW currently serves a student body of 6,811, offering over 200 academic majors and a tight-knit community that many students say helped shape their futures. About 1,400 students are on track to receive a degree this academic year.
Sadie Fenstermacher, a senior majoring in communication and pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in film, says the university’s support has been invaluable.
“I think PFW has prepared me pretty well,” Fenstermacher said. “Not just academically, but through clubs and extracurriculars related to my major.” She plans to take a year off before beginning graduate school.
The support students receive goes beyond the classroom. Zoe Busse, a biology major with a minor in criminal justice who is expected to graduate in 2029, credits her academic advisor with helping her navigate coursework and internships.
“My advisor has been a great help when it comes to what courses to take and internships that would be great for me to partake in,” Busse said.
Internships are a graduation requirement for many programs at PFW, providing students with hands-on experience in their field—and often leading to job opportunities. McDonald is currently interning at Allen County Adult Probation and hopes to transition into a full-time role.
“I plan to stay here over the summer and hopefully become a PSI Writer,” she said.
Fenstermacher, meanwhile, will be interning at the Cinema Center, a local nonprofit cinema whose executive director is PFW professor Art Herbig. The venue has become a hub for film and production students.
PFW’s Career Development Center also plays a pivotal role in preparing students for life after graduation.
Jackie Stancil, the center’s executive director, encourages students to start career planning early, including resume building and interview practice using tools like “Big Interview,” a platform designed to simulate job interviews and give students feedback on their performance.
“Students who engage in the career office early and often are not only more likely to get the job they want—they make more money than those who didn’t use the Career Center,” Stancil said.
While the future may be uncertain for some graduates, the university’s resources, mentorship, and community have laid a strong foundation for what comes next. As McDonald and her classmates prepare to walk the stage, they do so with pride, hope, and a sense of fulfillment that was years in the making.
Congratulations to the Class of 2025—your journey is just beginning.
Downtown Fort Wayne’s only boutique hotel, The Bradley, is doubling as a gallery space for Purdue Fort Wayne artists, thanks to an ongoing partnership that lets students and alumni showcase their work in one of the city’s most visible venues.
Over the past few years, downtown Fort Wayne has seen a wave of growth, with new restaurants, shops, and park renovations creating a vibrant atmosphere. Among the highlights is The Bradley, a boutique hotel that opened in July 2021 and quickly became a cultural touchstone—not just for its design, but for its commitment to supporting local art.
The Bradley was developed in partnership between West Coast-based Provenance Hotels and Barbara Baekgaard, co-founder of the Vera Bradley Foundation and a key figure in the hotel’s creation. Since its opening, the hotel has offered a unique opportunity for Purdue Fort Wayne (PFW) artists: ten curated art frames in one of its hallways, reserved exclusively for rotating displays of student and alumni artwork.
Rebecca Coffman, chair of PFW’s Department of Art and Design, says that it is a very cooperative partnership, but sometimes a laboring process. They put together a selection of works and send them to the Provenance Hotels team, who makes the final picks.
There are no strict guidelines for what type of art is selected. According to Mason Thomas, a sales manager at The Bradley, the hotel looks for pieces that simply “fit the mood.” The limited space—just ten frames—means not every submission can be displayed, but Coffman says the results have been rewarding.
“We’ve been able to show off some really beautiful photography, prints, and drawings in that limited space,” she said.
For PFW students and alumni, the exposure can be a career-boosting experience. Much like the university’s annual student exhibition, the partnership with The Bradley gives emerging artists the chance to have their work publicly viewed—and critiqued—in a high-profile setting.
“It’s just going to be an empty hallway,” Thomas said. “Might as well allow these students to promote their work, promote themselves, and promote their art. It’s great.”
The artwork on display rotates every few months, ensuring that new voices and visions are consistently featured. Whether you’re visiting Fort Wayne for the first time or planning a staycation, a stop by The Bradley offers more than just boutique accommodations—it’s also a window into the creative heart of the community.
A passionate debate over a proposed zoning amendment for 4.42 acres at 6501 Stellhorn Road has raised concerns among local residents and created a difficult decision for city officials.
The property at the heart of this issue is currently zoned for residential use (R1, R2, R3), and is being considered for rezoning to general commercial use (C3), to allow for the construction of a self-storage facility by Schmucker Building Services LLC. While proponents argue the development aligns with Fort Wayne’s drive for commercial expansion, some residents fear the loss of a residential buffer and potential property devaluation.
The rezoning proposal, designated as Z-25-02-08, was introduced unanimously by the Fort Wayne City Council on Feb. 25. Following this, the Fort Wayne Plan Commission held a public hearing on Mar. 10, where stakeholders, including developers and residents, could voice their perspectives on the project’s potential impact.
Satellite image of Stellhorn Road with proposed development highlighted in blue (Courtesy of FW City Council)
During the hearing, Susan Trent, a legal representative for Schmucker Building Services, emphasized the existing commercial nature of the surrounding area, stating, “The property is in a mixed-use zone and is near multiple businesses, including a hospital, fast-food chains, and shopping centers.”
Trent also pointed out that her team had reached out to the residents of the neighborhood next to the planned development and received no response.
“My staff has not received any inquiries back from residents, although we may hear some tonight,” Trent said. “You know, obviously, without any contact, no concerns were raised about our plans.”
Members of the commission highlighted that the area’s small parcel size limits alternative commercial or residential uses, making it less desirable for residential expansion. However, concerns over the impact on nearby homeowners remained a key issue in discussion.
Local resident Catherine Lawlinger, who lives close to the proposed development, expressed concerns about the potential consequences of the rezoning.
“The privacy fences separating our homes from commercial spaces aren’t ours,” she states. “The developer should be responsible for installing a proper fence to protect our neighborhood.”
Lawlinger also noted concerns she had for her special-needs granddaughter’s safety, referencing the lack of a clear buffer between the neighborhood and the proposed storage facility.
Another resident, Kip Site, argued that the property has served as a natural buffer between existing businesses and residential homes.
“When we moved in nearly 30 years ago, that land was a protective space between the businesses and our homes,” Site said. “Rezoning it would put a commercial structure right in our backyard.”
A primary concern among residents was the proposed development’s impact on property values and neighborhood aesthetics.
The facility referred to as the “Stellhorn Toy Shed” would feature storage units sold as condos rather than traditional rental spaces.
Residents questioned who would be responsible for maintaining the property and preventing neglect over time.
Trent assured the residents and the commission that the development would comply with city ordinances.
“The storage units will be condoized, meaning owners, rather than renters, will maintain them. An HOA will be established to oversee upkeep,” she explained.
Despite these assurances, residents remained skeptical about long-term property maintenance. Concerns about the adequacy of the existing fence were also raised.
Trent argued that the four-foot-high berm covered with vegetation would serve as an effective screen; residents countered that parts of it are in poor condition and that new fencing should be put in to reinforce the screening effect.
Following the public hearing, the Plan Commission provisionally approved the rezoning petition and returned it to the City Council with a do-pass recommendation.
In a later business meeting, commission members noted that the project’s existing natural barriers would be maintained, with the condition that if excessive vegetation is removed during construction, the developer must plant additional trees.
The Fort Wayne City Council is expected to hold a vote on the rezoning proposal in the coming weeks. If approved, construction on the Stellhorn Toy Shed could begin later this year.
The approval of this rezoning would be particularly notable given Fort Wayne’s current push for more affordable housing. As the city faces an ongoing housing shortage, some residents question whether commercial development should take priority over new residential projects.
The decision to rezone residential land for commercial use may indicate the city’s priorities in balancing economic growth with housing availability. This highlights a broader tension in Fort Wayne’s urban planning; as the city continues to grow, zoning decisions like this one will shape its future landscape, sparking discussion about where Fort Wayne’s development priorities should ultimately lie.
