Sitting so coolly on Stadium Avenue, Neil Armstrong exudes a confidence so relaxed you would think going to the moon is like a drive to the grocery store.  Ok, clearly the real Neil isn’t chillin’ outside of Armstrong Hall everyday, but his bronze replica certainly reflects that attitude.
Everyone at Purdue has seen this statue, and chances are that a good number of you reading this have even hopped up on Mr. Armstrong’s lap for a photo op. But this stately statue is more than just a monument you pass on your way to Physics, or pose with on a scavenger hunt—so much more.
A 1955 graduate, Neil Armstrong left Purdue with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. His illustrious career began shortly after in 1962 when he was selected for astronaut training. Just seven years after he began training, Armstrong was the spacecraft commander of the first successful mission to land on the moon, and he became the first man ever to walk on its surface. After a number of other missions, Armstrong flew in nearly 80 combat missions in the Korean War. He made history, was a huge part of history, and is a hero in more ways than one.
This statue stands to remind us all that greatness is inside all of us, and we are all capable of making a difference. If you ever question this, take a walk over to Armstrong Hall. In the ground to the right of this statue is a scale replica of the steps taken by Armstrong when he first walked on the moon. Test them out. See how it feels. It just takes “one small step” to make “one giant leap.” Just like our pal, Neil, said.
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*Sources
1. http://www.purdue.edu/uns/x/2007b/071026CelArmstrongSculpt.html
2. http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/armstrong-na.html
3. http://v5.cache6.c.bigcache.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/22078783.jpg?redirect_counter=2
4. http://news.uns.purdue.edu/images/+2007/armstrong-statue.jpg