Leadership and Learning Opportunities

Purdue University offers several opportunities for Industrial Design students to engage in co-curricular opportunities and to develop their leadership and design potentials while making life-long friendships. For a full list of student organizations visit Purdue University Boiler Link  and Student Organizations & Involvement. Below is a partial list of opportunities.

Student Organizations and Clubs

Industrial Design Society of America (IDSA) Student Chapter
Colleges and universities with programs in industrial design and related design disciplines provide rich environments for students to organize around their career aspiration through IDSA Student Chapters. This type of organization allows for leadership development through student officers who are elected by their peers. The chapters have recognition from IDSA and are authorized to use the name and abbreviation in their fulfilment of the mission of IDSA and of the chapters.

International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID)
The International Council of Societies of Design Societies has been created in 1957. With 156 member organizations in 53 countries, ICSID is the leading worldwide organization for industrial design.

Interaction Design Association
The Interaction Design Association (IxDA) is a member-supported organization dedicated to the discipline of interaction design. Since its launch in 2003, IxDA has grown into a global network of more than 80,000 members and over 173 local groups, focusing on interaction design issues for the practitioner, no matter their level of experience.

Design and Emotion Society
The Design & Emotion society is established in 1999 as an international network of researchers, designers, and companies sharing an interest in experience driven design. The network is used to exchange insights, research, tools, and methods that support the involvement of emotional experience in product design.

ACM SIGGRAPH Student Chapter
Purdue University ACM SIGGRAPH Chapter is a student chapter of the ACM SIGGRAPH organization, which is an acronym for Association for Computing Machinery's Special Interest Group on Graphics and Interactive Techniques.

TEDxPurdueU Committee
The purpose of this committee is to curate, organize, and execute TEDx events at Purdue University in accordance with the responsibilities required of TEDx conference organizers. More info.

The Purdue Review Student Organization
Purdue University's premier news magazine. Entirely student-run and operated with high-quality monthly magazines, we hold weekly meetings on campus.

The Anvil Coworking Space
The Anvil is a student-run coworking space at Purdue University. Started in 2013, it operates as a cornerstone of entrepreneurship in West Lafayette. Located across from the Purdue Memorial Union, we’re a centralized place open 24/7 for student and community members to collaborate and work on awesome projects and businesses.

Students Growing Sustainable Communities (SGSC)
Students Growing Sustainable Communities is a Purdue University student organization powered by highly motivated students to grow local and global communities through sustainability-focused projects.

Boiler Communication (Boiler Com) Student Organization
Boiler Communication is a student-run public relations firm that provides various public relation services to other student organizations, non-profit organizations, and local businesses and companies in the Tippecanoe and surrounding areas.

Art History Student Organization (AHSO)
The Purdue University Art History Student Organization's mission is simple: we strive to offer students as well as the community an institution where education and personal enjoyment combine to celebrate the arts.

Photography Club
Purdue Photography Club is made up of independent amateur photographers, ranging in skill from novice to advanced. Our meetings consist of photo critique nights, guest speakers, demos, and presentations. Anyone affiliated with Purdue may join the club.

Purdue Virtual Reality Club (PVRC)
Purdue Virtual Reality Club is an organization that aims to help Purdue students know more about the raising technology, virtual reality, and to create an environment for projects design.

Exhibitions & Competition Awards

SOFA Connect
The SOFA Fair is an annual exhibition of gallery-presented three-dimensional art and design. Each year, around 35,000 people attend. In the CONNECT competition, students design environments with seating and lighting that allow SOFA attendees a place to relax. The CONNECT competition highlights innovative design programs at universities nationwide. Students have the opportunity to showcase their design concepts while working collaboratively and creatively.

Undergraduate Exhibition and Awards
The Art and Design Juried Undergraduate Exhibition is an annual juried exhibition organized by the Department of Art and Design and shown in the Patti and Rusty Rueff Galleries. All works may be priced for sale. 

Westwood Exhibition Semiannual Juried Art Competition 
This is a juried graduate and undergraduate art and design exhibition at Westwood, the residence of Purdue University’s president. All works may be priced for sale.

MFA Exhibition
In the third year of study, graduate students focus on production of their MFA exhibition and thesis.

Senior Portfolio Award Night
A late spring presentation of student portfolios followed by an award reception.

Study Abroad

Purdue Study Abroad oversees more than 300 different programs in over 50 countries. To determine which program is right for you, determine your academic, professional, and personal goals, desired timetable, and potential constraints, click here.

Volunteering

Students are actively involved in volunteering at Purdue. Local non-profit organizations constantly look for Industrial Design students to engage in design opportunities.