The Tale Of the Golden Nugget:
No one knows when the Golden Nugget was first sighted. Some say it was left over from Purdue’s groundbreaking in 1871. Others say it was created in a lab and imbued with the capacity to bring success to any Boilermaker by Purdue’s very first graduate, Chemistry major John Bradford Harper. No matter what you believe, we DO know that the Golden Nugget has ALWAYS appeared in the lives of successful Boilermakers.
The first documented sighting of the Golden Nugget was in 1932 before Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic. The name prominently displayed on the side of the plane was: The Golden Nugget.
Later, when images reached NASA on July 20, 1969 from the Apollo 11 spacecraft, the Golden Nugget reemerged, sitting between Neil Armstrong and the American flag on the surface of the moon.
One short year later, Orville Redenbacher nearly fainted after noticing the nugget popping amongst the kernels of his very first batch of popcorn. Convinced the Golden Nugget was good luck, he branded the image on the outside of his popcorn bags, though most mistook the nugget as just some lump of popcorn.
Years later, when Don Thompson walked out of his boss’s office after receiving a promotion at McDonald’s, he discovered in his hat …can you guess?…yes…the Golden Nugget. When he later became the CEO of McDonald’s, Thompson made sure the Golden Nugget was always in sight, displayed in a glass case on his desk or, on business trips, with its own plane ticket, in the next seat over.
One day, though, Thompson dozed off on a particularly long flight and the stone’s brilliance caught the attention of a bored little boy, 10 year old Drew Brees, who gave the nugget a new home in a smelly gym bag Drew took to every pee wee football practice. Yes, he carried a gym bag to pee wee football. And yes, the nugget was later rumored to be in this same gym bag during the Saints’ 2009 Superbowl win.
Once Brees reached his biggest career goal, he decided it was time to pass the Golden Nugget on so other Boilermakers could experience equivalent success. He gifted the nugget to a Purdue organization that provides students the tools they need to excel in the real world—the Purdue Center for Career Opportunities.
So, here we are, years later, with the Golden Nugget, ready to pass its storied success to you. The stories we shared only highlight a few Boilermakers the Golden Nugget has touched, but it’s rumored hundreds, even thousands, more have been graced by the Golden Nugget’s presence. Will you be next?
The Booklet:
How can the Golden Nugget help you along your journey to success? It all starts with the booklet! The booklet provides special touchpoints for you to meet along the way. Complete 4 out of the 6 challenges and not only will you gain access to career development opportunities, but you will be entered to win a MEGA PRIZE! Booklets are available in Young 132, during CCO workshops/clinics and at all outreach events.
Complete 4 of these 6 Challenges:
Stop by the CCO for Drop-Ins
Hear the CCO Speak
Follow us on Social Media
Tag us on Social Media with #iamgolden
Have a conersation about your strengths at the CCO
Start or participate in a dicussion on our Linkedin Group
Mega Prize:
Once you have completed 4 challenges, come by Young 132 to receive a golden ticket and a chance to win! The MEGA PRIZE includes $200 for professional attire, professional headshots, a leather portfolio, and business cards!
