Film renews interest in Earhart's life

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - More than 70 years ago, Amelia Earhart came to Purdue University to help chart a new course for its female students. This weekend, a major motion picture about Earhart's life opens nationwide.

Purdue freshman Christy Hupfer said it is easy to see Amelia Earhart's impact on Purdue, especially among female students.

"It's just inspiring," Hupfer said.

Earhart came to Purdue in 1935 at the request of its President Edward Elliott. He asked Earhart to help motivate the young women studying at the university.

"They were trying to recruit more women, and as they were getting more women, they needed to know how to educate them and he wanted a good role model for the women," Sammie Morris said.

Morris is the Head of Archives and Special Collections at Purdue University. She is the archivist for the largest collection of Earhart-related papers and artifacts. She said some might be surprised to know of another Purdue connection.

"Purdue financed the plane that Amelia disappeared in for her world flight. So that's one of the reasons the collection of her papers and artifacts came here," Morris said.

The film, Amelia, stars actress Hillary Swank. It follows Earhart's career in flight. Morris said she is not sure if Purdue will be mentioned in the movie, but the university did help with the research for the film.

"They contacted us for images they wanted to use either for their research or in their movie and the other thing is that they wanted clear-cut plans of her last flight," Morris said.

Regardless, Morris said she was glad the university could get some notoriety from it.

"I think it's really important to Purdue, because we do have such a strong flight history. And it ties in very well with being the first university to have our own airport and having so many pilots that have been affiliated with Purdue," said Morris.

Morris said she wonders what Earhart would think of Purdue now: a Big 10 University with a woman at its helm.

Amelia opens nationwide this Friday.