Who: Anne Fliotsos, Interim Chair
School: Purdue University
City: West Lafayette, Indiana

What advice would you give to new students about how they can build relationships and form communities in a new environment?

The Greater Lafayette area is actually the city of Lafayette and West Lafayette, Indiana, separated by a river running between them. Many Purdue students only explore the West Lafayette side, where the campus resides, but there are interesting things to do in the broader community as well, and there’s a different feel “across the bridge.” Purdue has a wonderful array of organizations to help students get involved, and there are a good number of street festivals, farmers markets, concerts, and other community events to explore as well.

What has been your favorite production and why?

In some ways your favorite production is always the LAST production! I will say I have a special fondness for CABARET, which we produced last February. The music, of course, is incredible and the themes are vibrant and haunting. We had several graduate student designers doing their terminal projects on this production, and it was an amazing experience for all who were involved. There are production photos on our website for anyone who cares to take a look!

What are your favorite things to do off-campus in your free time?

Locally, I love eating at a variety of restaurants with international cuisine. I also enjoy hiking in local and state parks (Indiana Dunes, Eagle Creek, Turkey Run), as well as the festivals mentioned above. Indianapolis is only 1 hour away, so it’s fun to take a weekend daytrip to see a play, shop, or go to the arts cinema.

Describe in West Lafayette three words.

Friendly, affordable, ever-changing.